Cook Government creating healthier WA school environments

• Cook Government making grants available for school projects that support student health and wellbeing
• Healthway grant program funding between $3,000 and $5,000 on offer
• Early education is an important driver of future health and wellbeing

The Cook Government is helping Western Australian students and their communities to build lifelong healthy habits through the latest funding round for the Healthy Schools Program.

Up to $300,000 will be invested in Western Australian school projects that help children learn healthy habits, create supportive school environments, and bring the community together to promote health and wellbeing.

Public primary and secondary schools and their Parents and Citizens Associations can now apply for Healthway funding between $3,000 and $5,000.  

The 2026 Healthy Schools Program will support a range of health-related initiatives, including nutrition education, physical education programs, and mental health and vaping education activities.

Projects will be required to adopt a best practice framework through alignment with the world-renowned Health Promoting Schools Framework.

The program also focuses on supporting rural and remote schools, including those with large numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and culturally and linguistically diverse families.

Over the past five years, the State Government has awarded close to $1 million in grants through the Healthy Schools Program.

It builds on the Cook Government's commitment to keeping Western Australians well in the short and long-term.

Applications close on Monday, 30 March 2026. To apply, visit: www.healthway.wa.gov.au/healthy-schools-program/

Comments attributed to Preventative Health Minister Sabine Winton:

"As a former teacher, and now the Minister for both Preventative Health and Education, I have firsthand experience of the interconnectedness between student wellbeing and learning.

"When schools prioritise health and wellbeing, students and the wider community are happier, more engaged, and have more opportunities to succeed and thrive.

"From Perth to Esperance, Port Hedland to Kununurra, we're encouraging all public schools to apply so we can continue creating a healthy, supportive school environment for every student across WA.

"The investment in the health and wellbeing of our young people is a key priority for the Cook Government, as we build on our commitment to making WA the healthiest state in the nation."