By Fatmata Grace Okekearu Bo City
In a concerted effort to address critical gaps in hygiene practices and sanitation facilities within Sierra Leonean schools, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education has joined forces with UNICEF to designate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs as a top priority.
The strategic partnership comes in response to findings outlined in the 2022 Annual School Census report, which highlighted pressing issues such as poor hygiene practices and suboptimal functionality of WASH facilities. These issues underscore the urgent need for a clean and healthy school environment to ensure optimal health for children.
Recognizing the pivotal role of enhanced hygiene practices in fostering a supportive learning environment, the collaborative effort aims to bridge crucial gaps identified in the report. The provision of WASH facilities marks an initial stride towards this goal, with an emphasis on the importance of correct utilization to drive desired behavioral change.
Embracing the Three-star approach, the Ministry aims to instill Safe Water, improved Sanitation, and Hygiene practices incrementally among learners and school administrators. This approach encourages schools to adopt simple, cost-effective measures such as daily access to safe drinking water, soap for handwashing, and clean, gender-segregated toilets.
A recent training session targeted key stakeholders including School Quality Assurance Officers, School feeding monitors, heads of schools, and district education and health committee leaders. Held across various districts including Kabala, Moyamba, Bombali, Tonkolili, Bo, and Pujehun in the North and Southern Sierra Leone, the sessions aimed to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and tools to implement the Three-star approach effectively.
In Pujehun, a comprehensive two-day training session unfolded at the Leilema Guesthouse from the 22nd to the 23rd of February 2024, mirroring the approach taken in other districts. This initiative underscores a concerted effort to drive positive change in the health and hygiene conditions of school communities, both in the present and the future.
The partnership between the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and UNICEF signifies a collaborative commitment towards ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment for children across Sierra Leone, with a focus on sustainable solutions to address critical challenges in WASH infrastructure and practices within schools.
