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Health education in New Zealand schools has a chequered history, peppered with controversy since its inclusion as a school subject in the early nineteenth century. In this paper we examine the trials and challenges faced by health education teachers over time, pointing to the particular components of this subject that are regarded as controversial and analysing the obstacles to its successful implementation. We briefly map the changing nature of health education across time, before discussing contemporary aims and purposes of health education. We suggest health education seeks to enable and equip children and young people with the knowledge, skills and motivation to make health enhancing choices for themselves and for others. To conclude, we explore future directions for health education, proposing several health competencies as viable options for a 21st century world.

A key function of health education in New Zealand schools has always been to educate individuals to be responsible and accountable for their own health status. Educational, economic and political stances on what best constitutes effective health education, however, shift over time. The outcome of these shifts is that a multiplicity of disciplines and theoretical frameworks has informed pedagogical practices in this subject area, and continues to do so. Psychology, sociology, philosophy and biological sciences are all visible in school health education syllabuses. Currently a range of concepts and theories underpin the subject, ranging from critical theory and post-structuralism to cognitive behavioural theory and behaviour change models. Although various disciplines, concepts and theories have fashioned the delivery and content of past and present school health education, none have proved particularly effective in moving it away from pervasive and enduring discourses of individualism. Examined in this article are socio-political influences on curriculum directions and discourses over the last century, including the part played by external bodies in determining health education subject matter and health behaviour emphases.

This paper presents the findings of a three-year study into pre-service (student) teachers' experiences of and beliefs about sexuality education in New Zealand schools. It reports on participants' own memories of school sexuality education programmes, and examines changes in their constructs of sexuality education during their teacher education in health education. Comparisons between their original beliefs about what constitutes "good" sexuality education and those they had developed after three years of teacher education are made. Before beginning and after completing introductory health education courses in 2004 and third-year health education specialism courses in 2006, quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Analysis of the earlier data showed that participants saw learning about physical safety and disaster prevention as constituting effective sexuality education. By the end of 2006, although physical safety and avoiding risk were still presented as important aspects of sexuality education, a theme of "sexuality isn't just about sex" had emerged. Positive and comprehensive approaches to teaching about sexuality now defined their constructs of sexuality education. Only few participants, however, demonstrated embedded understanding of sexuality as a social construction, or expressed critical or socio-ecological perspectives of sexuality education. (Contains 2 tables.)

In this article, the author focuses on health education in the schools of New Zealand, and strategies to execute in teaching and learning programs. She states that socio-ecological approach can give a chance to school students to develop their social thinking attitude. She suggests that health educators should make efforts for implementing health education practices in schools.