First Lady Urges Increased Funding for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)

The First Lady of Uganda, Janet Kataha Museveni, who also serves as the Minister of Education and Sports, has called for a significant increase in funding to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools. In a recent WASH symposium held in Kampala, the First Lady emphasized the urgent need to prioritize the safety and well-being of learners by addressing the inadequate sanitation facilities in many schools.

Represented by the education state minister, Moricu Kaducu, Mrs. Museveni highlighted the findings of the School Microplanning Handbook (2019), which revealed concerning statistics regarding WASH access in schools. The report indicated that 42% of primary schools and 27% of secondary schools lack access to safe water. Additionally, overall access to water was reported at 58% for primary schools and 73% for secondary schools. These figures underscore the pressing need for improved WASH infrastructure.

The First Lady emphasized the crucial role of water in preventing disease transmission, particularly in the context of post-COVID-19 lockdown measures. She stressed that all schools must adhere to the Ministry of Health's standard operating procedures, and adequate access to water is essential in meeting these requirements.

The WASH symposium, organized by several ministries, UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations, aimed to address the theme of "Re-imagining water, sanitation, and hygiene services: leaving no children behind." Mrs. Museveni expressed her support for the event and commended the collaborative efforts of the various stakeholders involved.

Drawing attention to the concerning pupil-to-stance ratio, the First Lady noted that it currently stands at 71:1, falling short of the recommended national standard of 40:1. Girls' stance ratio was reported at 68:1 in primary schools and 48:1 in secondary schools, while boys' stance ratio was 72:1 in primary schools and 51:1 in secondary schools. The district most affected by these disparities was Buliisa, where the stance ratio reached alarming levels of 648:1 for girls and 844:1 for boys.

Moreover, the minister highlighted the inadequacy of handwashing facilities, with only 56% of primary schools and 67% of secondary schools having such provisions in place. Mrs. Museveni recommended a rapid assessment of WASH status in schools to identify those in urgent need of services, in order to update existing data and inform targeted interventions.

The First Lady urged continued collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Sports and its partners to improve WASH in schools. She called for the leadership of the ministry in reaching out to vulnerable schools, while also seeking commitment from partners at all levels. Mrs. Museveni proposed that the Government of Uganda, through the Parliament and Ministry of Finance, planning, and economic development, allocate specific grants for WASH in schools to support districts in improving their WASH infrastructure.

The symposium received further support from Silas Aogon, the chairperson of the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on WASH, who emphasized the need for a budget allocation of UGX 600 billion to achieve full coverage of WASH in schools. Aogon assured attendees that legislators would persistently advocate for this funding, demonstrating their commitment to addressing the pressing WASH needs in schools across the country.

This article was curated from  an article in the New Vision dated June 29th 2023