Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Ministry of Health urged parents of incoming first-grade students for the 1447 AH (2025–2026) academic year to complete the school fitness screening. The screening, which will be carried out by the MoH, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, aims to confirm medical readiness and support early detection within school health programs. Appointments can be booked through the Sehhaty app, allowing parents to select the time and the appropriate health center.

The program verifies school-age immunizations, reviews the student's health status, measures body mass index (BMI), and conducts vision, speech, and hearing screening, dental and oral checks, and a clinical exam. It aims to strengthen preventive health, enable early detection of health issues, and promote healthy behavior in schools, in line with the Health Sector Transformation Program under the Saudi Vision 2030.

In 2024, more than 1.7 million students had benefited from exploratory and fitness screenings, while about 3.5 million students benefited from the school health awareness program. Additional efforts include inspections of school environments and cafeterias in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to ensure food safety, training health supervisors, and engaging parents.

These efforts advance preventive health among students as part of the ministry’s public-health mandate.