BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
EIGHTY seven percent of rural schools in Solomon Islands have limited access to drinking water services.
Country Manager for World Vision Solomon Islands Jimmy Nadapdapa revealed at the launch of the Upscaling WASH programs in Schools in Guadalcanal.
Nadapdapa said this data is collected in a joint monitoring programme for Solomon Islands carried out by World Health Organisation/ UNICEF.
“The WHO/UNICEF joint monitoring programme for the Solomon Islands estimates that 17 percent of these schools nationally have access to basic services for drinking water, and in rural areas that decreases to 14 percent. This leaves about 87 percent of rural schools with limited drinking water services.
“Furthermore, only 25 percent of rural schools have access to basic sanitation services, and 17 percent have access to basic hygiene services,” he said.
Nadapdap said when looking at Guadalcanal schools specifically 58.9 percent of schools do not have handwashing facilities and of those with handwashing facilities only 7.53 percent have access to basic handwashing services, but none have access to soap at the handwashing facilities.
“With this in mind, there is a major need to bring the Guadalcanal Province schools up to standard and deliver safe and basic services to meet the children’s and teachers needs,” he said.
