Hygiene during COVID-19 in schools

The nation has been adjusting to the new norms of social distancing and the practice of hygiene to avoid infection. Access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities and behaviours assume critical importance in the current context. Needless to say, the risk of infection in schools that have limited space and WASH facilities is potentially high. Before the school reopens, it is critical to prepare the teachers, parents, school management committees and school-going children on the importance of clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene in the context of COVID-19. With improved access to clean drinking water and hygiene infrastructure, schools will be better equipped to minimise the risk of COVID-19.

Realising the need to build resilience in the schools for COVID-19, we have launched a hygiene campaign in all our programme schools. With a variety of interesting campaign material, we hope to support the facilitators who are working tirelessly to inculcate good hygiene behaviours among school children, teachers and support staff.

The campaign creatives will help in training and supporting teachers, children, cooks and sanitation workers on key hygiene messaging appropriate for schools. This can be a ready reckoner for facilitators at the ground level, civil society organisations and Government officials in the education department.