Focus on proper sanitation in schools

In a bid to improve sanitation across schools in Odisha, a State-level workshop on School Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) was conducted jointly by NGOs Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD) and Plan India here on Monday.

 WASH is a sanitation project, started by the two organisations, on a pilot basis in the Thakurmunda block of Mayurbhanj district.

The focus of the project was to provide school students with child- friendly, girl-friendly and barrier-free toilets and create an awareness among them about proper hygiene.

 ‘’We started the project in 25 schools in Thakurmunda block on a pilot basis two years back. Creating awareness about personal hygiene among students in general and better sanitary practices among girl students in particular were part of the project,’’ said WASH project officer Ganesh Parida.

 Teacher training programmes, teaching the students about proper hygiene like trimming nails, cutting hair, washing hands and wearing shoes to schools were all part of the project. During the workshop, the students from the Thakurmunda block shared their experience about how the project had benefited them.

 Under the project, the WASH officials focused on providing 25 schools with sanitary blocks. Every sanitary block had running tap water in urinals, low-level wash basin for students, separate urinals for girls and boys and low-seated western toilets for the disabled. The toilets were provided keeping in mind the age of students and sanitary requirements of girl students.

 “The major outcome of the project was that lesser number of students took ill after its launch. We found incidents of diarrhoea almost reducing to zero. Also absenteeism and dropout rate decreased significantly among the students,’’ informed Parida.

 The students have also started practising proper hygiene before taking their mid-day meals in the schools.

 Representatives from various organisations like Unicef, UNDP, OPEPA and RWSS attended the workshop.

 The representatives also deliberated on the possibility of extending the project to rest of the schools in the State.