Promote proper hygiene in schools
The three stances of pit-latrines being shared by girls in primary and nursery sections of Kaijororonga Primary School. This pit-latrine got full and is yet to be replaced. PHOTO/ JANE NAFULA
What you need to know:
The issue: Sanitation and hygiene.
Our view: Ensuring the success of such projects calls for the involvement of all stakeholders, not only the government and NGOs.
This week, this newspaper highlighted the plight of primary schools in Ibanda District in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene. At Kaijororonga Primary School, a Church of Uganda-founded and government-aided school in Katembe Parish, Nyarukiika Sub-county, besides having inadequate hand-washing facilities, the school’s pit-latrines are in a dire state and are inadequate.
This makes the children vulnerable to diarrhoea and typhoid, according to school authorities. The story is not so different from Nyarukiika Primary School, which is located in the same parish. Nyarukiika and Kaijororonga primary schools are among the two-thirds of schools in Uganda that lack basic sanitation facilities.
According to the Ministry of Water and Environment’s sector performance report (2017) and the Ministry of Education and Sports’ School WASH mapping (2016), the situation of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools does not meet the country’s national standards.
Meeting WASH standards is critical to children staying in school, performing well and keeping healthy, according to Unicef, the United Nations agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide.
Sadly, the hygiene crisis in Ugandan schools reflects a broader challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, where millions of people lack basic sanitation services and access to hygiene facilities. According to recent reports, 779 million people in the region lack basic sanitation services, and 839 million people do not have access to basic hygiene facilities.
In a bid to improve the situation, the Ugandan government and Unicef came up with national standards for WASH services in schools. According to the guidelines, at least 1.5 litres of safe drinking water are supposed to be provided to each learner and staff member every day.
Also, there have to be separate latrines for girls and boys, and learners with disabilities. Further, there has to be one hand-washing facility for every 40 learners, with water and soap in all latrines.
However, if the dream of improving water and sanitation in schools is to be achieved, then we need to deploy a multi-sectoral approach. First, the learners should be educated about good hygiene practices and encouraged to practice them.
The government needs to improve funding for the construction and maintenance of water and toilet facilities in schools. That every two out of three schools around the country lack basic sanitation facilities is a figure that should be deliberately brought down.
Finally, ensuring the success of such projects calls for the involvement of all stakeholders, not only the government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Local communities and private companies need to increase their involvement in ventures.
