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Fiocruz and the Ministry of Health launch a free online course with 50 places to train health and education professionals in Brazil. The training covers essential and current public health topics with a free certificate at the end of the course.
50 thousand are open vacancies for a free course and completely online aimed at qualifying professionals in the areas of health and education in Brazil.
The initiative is the result of a strategic partnership between the Ministry of Health, through the Secretariats of Work Management and Health Education (SGTES) and Primary Health Care (SAPS), the Open University of the Unified Health System (UNA-SUS) and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Brasília unit.
The course “Health Education Methodologies within the scope of the Health in School Program – PSE Final Years” has as its main objective to improve health promotion practices in the school environment, especially in elementary and high school.
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The proposal is part of the federal government's ongoing effort to integrate health and education as complementary public policies.
Training for professionals working at the forefront
Aimed primarily at professionals who work directly with the School Health Program (PSE), the course offers a broad and practical approach to fundamental topics for promoting health among children and adolescents.
Target audiences include:
- Community health agents
- Nurses and nursing technicians
- Dentists and oral health assistants
- Primary care physicians
- Psychologists, social workers and other members of multidisciplinary teams
- Teachers, educators, pedagogical coordinators and other education professionals
- Representatives of the school community involved in PSE actions
The initiative recognizes that work in school health goes beyond the office or the classroom: it is a joint effort that requires technical preparation, social sensitivity and coordination between areas.
Course structure and topics covered
With a total workload of 30 hours, the course is self-instructional and can be completed at the student's own pace.
The content is divided into thematic modules that cover crucial areas of public health in the school context, among them:
- Food and nutrition
- Primary care and family health
- Health Education
- Public policies and health planning
- Health promotion
- Environmental health
- oral health
- Child health
- Health of the black population
- Adolescent and youth health
- Mental health
- Sexual and reproductive health
Each module is built based on updated scientific evidence and seeks to promote critical reflection on the role of health education in Brazilian public schools.
Strengthening the link between health and education
The Health at School Program, created in 2007, is an intersectoral policy whose purpose is strengthen prevention, promotion and health care actions in the school environment, especially in public schools in the basic education network.
According to the Ministry of Health, in 2024 the PSE reached more than 23 million students, in partnership with almost 100 family health teams spread throughout the country.
The course launched in April 2025 reinforces this commitment, offering free, ongoing training to those who make a difference at the forefront of customer service.
According to Fiocruz, the training aims to broaden professionals' perspective on the social determinants of health and their impact on the development of children and adolescents.
The expectation is that, at the end of the course, participants will be better prepared to implement integrated actions, identify vulnerabilities and act more effectively in their daily school routine.
Digital education as a transformation tool
In addition to the pedagogical proposal, The course reaffirms the SUS's commitment to distance education as a democratic and accessible means of training.
The UNA-SUS platform has established itself as one of the main tools for continuing education for health professionals in the country, with more than 1 million students registered by 2025.
With easy and flexible access, the EAD modality allows professionals from remote regions to also participate in training, expanding the reach of public policy and reducing regional inequalities in access to knowledge.
Free course with lasting impact
In a scenario where the mental health of children and adolescents is becoming increasingly worrying — especially after the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic —, Investing in training professionals to work on sensitive and essential issues is a long-term strategy.
The integration between the areas of health and education is recognized by experts as one of the most effective ways to prevent health problems, guarantee rights and promote social equity.
The course promoted by Fiocruz and the Ministry of Health is a concrete training opportunity that can generate lasting impacts on daily school life, on the lives of students and on the work of professionals.
Registration open until July
Registration opened on April 8, 2025 and continues until 14 July 2025, or until all vacancies are filled.
Interested parties must register on the UNA-SUS portal, using the link: https://www.unasus.gov.br/cursos/oferta/420111.
Places are limited and filled on a first come, first served basis.
Therefore, the recommendation is to register as soon as possible.
After registration, participants will have up to August 15th, 2025 to complete all activities.
At the end of the course, those who pass will receive a free certificate, issued digitally by UNA-SUS.
Have you ever taken a free course from Fiocruz or UNA-SUS? What topic do you think is most urgent to address in Brazilian schools? Leave your opinion in the comments!
