State Liberal Leader Steven Marshall’s commitment to provide a $1.2 million funding injection to Life Education will enable its popular and effective healthy lifestyle and drug prevention education programs to be substantially increased in regional South Australia.

Life Education, known for its iconic mascot Healthy Harold the giraffe, has been delivering evidence-based healthy living and anti-substance abuse programs in South Australian schools for thirty years.

Last year Life Education reached 16,132 students in South Australia and that number is set to increase substantially if the Liberal Party is successful at the March state election.

As part of the SA Liberal policy, Life Education has agreed to substantially increase the number of programs delivered to regional South Australia.

“Like many other communities in regional South Australia, the electorate of Hammond is facing serious problems of increasing drug and alcohol use,” Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick said.

“Life Education focuses on preventive education and instils in children the confidence to make safer and healthier choices.

“This initiative also played a critical role in the Federal Government's Ice Taskforce assisting in the development of new drug prevention programs for schools.

“The partnership with Life Education is an important part of Steven Marshall's broad anti-drugs policy measures announced recently.

“These programs are currently funded by a combination of donations and fee-for-service.

“The programs run by Life Education featuring Healthy Harold and the Life Education caravan have left lasting and important reminders on many people for over three decades.”

The $1.2 million will enable Life Education to deliver free drug education programs to thousands of students in Years 6 to 10.

It will also allow Life Education to expand the age-appropriate work they are already doing educating younger children about substance abuse, cyberbullying and healthy living.