Lack of changing rooms in schools affecting girls education- WVG

There are many challenges in most Ghanaian schools hampering the education fortunes of students, especially the girl child.

One of such challenges hampering the continuous stay of girls, especially the adolescent girls in schools identified by World Vision Ghana (WVG), an international Nonprofit Organization whose vision for every child is LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS, is the lack of changing rooms for girls.

According to the Wash Technical Specialist, World Vision Ghana, Yaw Attah Arhin, many of the available toilet facilities in schools do not have changing rooms for girls.

“While the lack of access to toilet facilities in schools is regrettable, it is equally worrying that many of the available toilet facilities in schools do not have changing rooms for girls.

This does not make the school environment conducive or friendly to the girl child, particularly those who have reached the age of puberty,” Mr Arhin reiterated.

Addressing contestants and audience at the 2nd Master’s encounter (semi-final 2) of the 5th School Sanitation Solutions (Triple-S) challenge 2024, held in Accra, Mr. Arhin, explained that his outfit believe that nothing can be more important to child wellbeing than access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene.

“This is the reason World Vision Ghana prioritize and promote access to sustainable WASH services in communities, households, schools and healthcare facilities.

We believe that there is a lot more government, development partners and all of us can do to ensure that everybody everywhere has sustainable access to improved sanitation,” he added.

The Wash Technical Specialist, at WVG used the opportunity to pledge his organization’s commitment to partner the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), Development Partners, and all relevant stakeholders in the fight against poor sanitation and sustainable access to improved basic sanitation in the country especially in schools.

The latest initiative by the WVG to address sanitation issues, especially in schools is the School Sanitation Solution (Triple S) challenge open to students from primary six, Junior High School form one and two .

According to the organizers, the objectives of the Triple S challenge include the following:

To encourage children to develop keen interest in environmental sanitation issues,

o To support children to become sanitation conscious and agents of change, influencing their peers and adults positively;

o To build capacity of children to co-create sustainable solutions to sanitation challenges around them;

o To empower children to advocate the removal of barriers and increased access to improved sanitation, particularly in basic schools.

They explained further that the Triple S Challenge, is a response to a certain missing link in WASH services delivery – the limited involvement of children in co-creating sustainable solutions.

As has become the practice in the Triple S Challenge, the country was zoned into 4 – Shea (Upper East, Upper West, North East, Savannah and Northern Regions) Zone, Cocoa Zone (Ashanti, Eastern, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions), Tilapia Zone (Greater Accra, Volta and Oti Regions) and Coconut Zone (Central, Western and Western North Regions).

Five (5) contestants from each zone were selected, out of which the Zonal Champion will qualify for the Grand Finale (Battle of Champions) to be held at the National Theatre as part of a Children Sanitation Fair on Monday, 23rd September, 2024.

At the end of the 2nd Master’s encounter (semi-final 2) for the Tilapia and Coconut zones, two contestants, all females were selected one from each zone to join other finalists for the finals dabbled “Champion of Champions’ on September, 23 2024.

Prior to the Triple S Challenge WVG and Kings Hall Media had implemented other competitions including the Open Defecation Free Cartoon Contest in partnership with Junior Graphic.

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