Institutional Sanitation

Sanitation and Hygiene in Primary Schools in Uganda;

The Sanitation and Hygiene study in Primary Schools was commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Sports to obtain updated in-depth information on sanitation and hygiene in schools. Data was collected in 20 districts and involved 416 schools, 334 primary and 82 secondary schools and among others, a total of 6704 primary pupils and 1684 secondary students were interviewed.  The study highlights the sanitation situation in schools and problems associated. Recommendations are made for national, district, school, and community levels.

Failing to respond to menstrual hygiene needs, agencies are ignoring approximately 50% of a given population’s right to live with dignity; right to water and sanitation; and, right to education (for girls).  Furthermore, menstrual hygiene is an essential component of gender equality in lifestyles and security.  The case study, in Katakwi district, brings to light the social and economic factors that have adversely affected girls’ ability to manage their menstruation hygienically. 

Gender disparities in education are greater in developing countries and Uganda is no exception.  Poor hygiene and sanitation facilities in Ugandan primary schools are important factors for high school dropout rates for girls at this level and this is reflected in lower enrolment rates for girls/women in post primary schools institutions, tertiary and universities leading to gender inequality in education.  The paper presents analysis of girls’ school drop out highlighting responsible factors, including poor sanitation facilities in schools.  Strategies and challenges for improving girl-child education are presented.  The information presented is useful the policy making body the Ministry of Education, districts, School Management Committees, communities and all involved in advocacy for girl-child education.

Poor sanitation is a national problem and everybody’s responsibility. The environmental sanitation status in primary schools in this country falls below the expected standards. Recent studies show that sanitation related diseases like malaria, cholera, and diarrhoea, are the top killer diseases among children.  The booklet is designed to support teachers in service to upgrade their knowledge and skills in relation to sanitation promotion.  It discusses what is sanitation, effects and benefits, handwashing, excreta disposal, safe water chain, approaches to sanitation promotion and behaviour change and presents a sanitation school workplan and monitoring tool.

The document is a guide for training of teachers towards improving sanitation and hygiene in schools. Teachers are expected to take a leading role in promotion of sanitation and hygiene at the schools.  The Facilitators’ Guide presents topics, methodologies and facilitators notes for teacher training.  Though it specifically targets facilitators, the guide may be used as reference for school sanitation programme development.

The Field Note on School Sanitation Experiences of Uganda is based on the school sanitation project.  The project objectives were to improve water supply and sanitation facilities in Primary Schools in support of Universal Primary Education; to bring about reduction in water and sanitation related diseases; and to impart hygiene skills to the school children at an impressionable age.  Presented are key lessons learnt and recommendation for making improvements.

The inadequate sanitation situation in schools had been exacerbated by the implementation of Universal Primary Education policy which entitles all school age children to free primary education, causing the number of students per latrine stance to exceed 700:I.  The School sanitation and Hygiene study in Uganda, a Research Project, seeks solutions to improve school sanitation and hygiene.  The School Sanitation and Hygiene study aimed at identifying the problems by a situational analysis, reviewing government approaches, identifying gaps, and making recommendations for achieving and sustaining better school sanitation and hygiene in rural Uganda.

This study investigates state of Health Promotion in schools with a view of identifying supportive factors that could be adapted in Uganda.  Data was collected by observations in two secondary schools in Scotland and by questionnaire and interviews with head-teachers, 13 teachers, 89 students, 10 parents and 2 education authority officials. Investigation demonstrated that an integrated school approach to both curricular and co-curricular activities involving teachers, health workers, parents, policy markers in addition to community partnership as well as international networking is the key.

The importance of food hygiene cannot be over emphasised.  Many diseases can be spread through poor food hygiene practices.  The purpose of the code is to give advice and guidance to persons intending to establish or those already in business of hotels, restaurants, cafes, snack bars, liquor bars and other similar business.  The Code is designed to make positive suggestions for establishing and maintaining hygiene standards.  The code is a key document for all involved in providing public catering services.