The government in its quest to improve environmental sanitation in schools has directed the Federal Ministry of Environment to produce policy documents and programmes that will enhance sanitation in the country. The national environmental sanitation policy and policy guidelines have been developed to achieve sustainable promotion and protection of environmental and human health in Nigeria with the schools inclusive. Ensuring successful implementation of the policy and policy guideline requires that adequate attention be paid to awareness creation on the document.
The government in its wisdom will circulate it widely among all stakeholders at all tiers of government to create awareness.
The school sanitation guideline is developed to provide mechanisms for regular environmental sanitation assessment in schools so as to ensure the upgrading and maintenance of optimum environmental sanitation standard. The school sanitation guideline intends, amongst others, to revise and update school curricular to include sanitation and hygiene education with the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders.
A national plan of action has been drawn to achieve specific tasks and action towards improving school sanitation.
The Federal Government will produce and circulate policy guidelines on school sanitation.
i. Training and retraining of environmental health officers to conduct school inspection.
ii. Training and retraining of school meal vendors.
iii. The State and Local Governments shall be responsible for conducting school inspection in accordance with policy guidelines.
iv. Registering school meal vendors.
v. Training and refraining of Environmental Health Officers (EHO) to conduct school inspection.
THE ROLE OF HEAD OF SCHOOLS
The heads of schools such as Principals, Vice Chancellors, Head Masters, Provosts and Rectors shall be responsible for implementation of the school sanitation guideline.
(a) Ensuring the improvement of environmental sanitation standard.
(b) Introduction of environmental health and sanitation committee.
(c) Holding regular meetings with the environmental health and sanitation committee.
THE DUTIES OF THE STUDENT
The student shall, amongst other things, be responsible for:
(a) Formation of environmental health and sanitation club
(b) Inspection of facilities in the school hostels to environmental health and sanitation committee.
(c) Ensuring food hygiene standard in the kitchen.
(d) Ensuring sound environmental sanitation standard obtained in the school.
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
08039495237
