BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
UNICEF Solomon Islands through its WASH Programme over the past 2 years has upgraded WASH infrastructures in 26 schools in Central Islands Province and 39 Schools in Guadalcanal Province.
Erick Hale, UNICEF WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Programme officer said these interventions have contributed to creating a healthy and safe school environment for children of Solomon Islands.
He said that access to water, sanitation and hygiene services have improved in these schools.
According to Hale, these school WASH infrastructure upgrades have reached over 12,000 (5,866 females and 6,606 boys) children and their teachers.
“This includes infrastructure design and construction, solar powered water pump and borehole,” he said.
He however said that approximately 64 percent of schools lack basic sanitation services, with only 36 percent with access to basic water services, and merely 17 percent with access to basic hygiene services.
He adds that this impacts negatively on creating safe school environment and consequently on learning outcome.
“Children spend a significant portion of their day at school, requiring adequate drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. Some schools often completely lack WASH facilities or have facilities that are inadequate in both quality and quantity.
“Water scarcity also caused school absenteeism, especially females, directly impacting on their learning and teaching.
“It resulted in unequal learning opportunities, with particularly girls and children with disabilities being left behind,” he said.
Mr Hale further said that only two-fifths of schools (41 percent) provide a basic level of water service, while nearly half (47 percent) are at a limited level and 12 percent have no service.
“Only 5 percent of schools in the country have access to basic sanitation services and nearly half (49 percent) provide limited sanitation service. Alarmingly, 45 percent of schools reported having no sanitation facilities at all,” he said.
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