Building a healthier learning environment

Building a healthier learning environment
Thursday, December 10, 2020

Just before classes would erupt for a lunch break, Lilo and Ayjay would be excused to leave theirs a few minutes earlier to ensure the schools hand washing stations are unlocked with soap on the counter.

Armed with a checklist roster and pad-lock keys, the two boys – aged 12 and 11 are swift members of Mbalasuna primary school’s WASH club.

As WASH club members, Lilo and AJ were responsible for monitoring their schools newly built handwashing stations and ablution block. They also could not hold back to share what it was like before they had WASH clubs.

 “Before we had proper wash bays with soap holders, students including myself lacked good hygiene practices,” exclaimed 12-year-old Lilo. There were no proper taps around our school compound and even for the toilets to flush. We had to walk a few yards out to get to a well,” he continued. “Most times we would be fetching pales of water back to the school rather than coming to learn and enjoy classes,” added Ayjay.

Located on the Guadalcanal plains, rain is a weekly occurrence and whenever it did, the nearby well would get contaminated from flooding and become unsafe to use. Only staff houses had water catchments but it would strictly be reserved for drinking only.

Most times students would turn to run into the bushes to relieve themselves. As a direct result, a foul stench would begin to hover around the school creating a very unhygienic environment for everyone.

Students regularly catch diarrhea and would miss out on classes which often lead to poor performance scorecards.  

The turning point for the school came after they received support from World Vision to setup and improve WASH facilities and committees that would monitor, care for and promote good hygiene practices.

With support from UNICEF through a project dubbed Solomon Islands Better Learning Environment (SIBLE), World Vision has been working with schools on the Guadalcanal plains aimed at improving the learning performances of girls and boys by reducing diseases and illness from limited access to adequate and affordable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.

The SIBLE project mobilizes and trains school committees, teachers and students to engage in supporting WASH in schools. Teachers receive training on the Three Star Approach to WASH in school. The Three Star Approach is a tool designed to improve the effectiveness of hygiene behaviour change programs. The approach ensures that healthy habits are taught, practised and integrated into daily school routines.

 “With the setup of the School WASH clubs, students are taking on the responsibility to practise good hygiene especially with the new handwashing bays and improved sanitation facilities,” said a proud Eric Toada, School Principal. “We even learned from some parents that their children are encouraging the practices at home too,” he added.

Berry Tuhaika, the World Vision Project Coordinator for SIBLE, noted that the three-star approach had an immediate impact on both teachers and students perspectives on the health and wellbeing of their school. Especially during the effect of the global pandemic where a COVID 19 preparedness and response awareness is also included.

 “It throws out a stagnant attitude and activates an immediate realization towards the importance of handwashing and maintenance of a clean and hygienic learning environment. It is evidently something that will stick with them for a lifetime,” shared Berry.

With multiple water catchments connected to taps next to classrooms and improved ablution blocks together with the support from school WASH committees, students like Lilo and Ayjay can now enjoy classroom learning and other school activities without the need to worry about visiting the well.

“I’m very pleased with the new changes happening in my school,” says Ayjay. “Back home I always remind my parents and siblings on the basic handwashing steps and how germs like the Coronavirus travel from one person to another,” he added.

Lilo and Ayjay attend 1 of 15 schools that are currently engaged with the World Vision SIBLE project on the Guadalcanal plains where children continuously lack access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities. The school WASH clubs are currently spreading knowledge, raising and maintaining standards on the importance of clean and hygienic learning environments for both schools and homes.