NAPAK – A new programme set to benchmark for water, sanitation and hygiene services in schools across Karamoja sub-region has been launched in Karamoja sub-region.
Described as water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools programme– WASH in Schools – in Karamoja was launched September 29 at the Matany Primary School in Napak District.
The programme which is supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and UNICEF, aims at supporting districts in Karamoja to deliver the national ‘Wash in Schools standards’ in schools across the sub-region.
Mr Moses Kizige the state minister for Karamoja affairs said the intervention supplement innovative and comprehensive water chain interventions to ensure safe water from the source and into the home or school.
“Schools in Karamoja are seriously lacking in quality water, sanitation and hygiene services, which has greatly affected the environment that our children are learning in,” said Mr Kizige.
“This programme is therefore very timely in that it will help us get to a new level in delivering quality water, sanitation and hygiene services – and, as a result, good learning – in our school, ” he added
The national WASH in schools standards are a set of 24 standards updated by the Ministry of Education and Sports in 2017, including:
- -1.5 litres of safe drinking water provided every day to all learners and staff
- Separate latrines for all girls and boys, and children with disabilities
- handwashing facility for every 40 learners, with water and soap in all school latrines
- Schools have annual budgets to operate and maintain all school WASH facilities
- Hygiene education manuals used to educate all pupils and students, including through school health clubs and school-based WASH activities
- Schools having a waste management system where solid waste is collected every day and disposed of safely.
And as part of the launch, the leadership from all eight districts in Karamoja – Abim, Amudat, Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto, Napak, Nakapiripirit and Nabilatuk – as well as the leadership from the Ministries of Karamoja Affairs, Education and Sports and Water and Environment, pledged commitment to ensure that every school in Karamoja meets the national WASH in schools standards by 2023.
Ms Jun Young Suk, KOICA Country Director said the programme will directly benefit 56,000 children in 100 schools with a package of WASH interventions that will ensure all national WASH in Schools standards are met in those schools.
“We are proud to partner with the Government of Uganda and UNICEF to contribute to national efforts that will support Ugandan children grow, learn and thrive,” said
“We are especially pleased that this support could be catalytic in supporting districts mobilize their own resources to meet the national WASH in schools standards in all schools across Karamoja – not just the schools directly benefitting from this support,” he added.
Dr Doreen Mulenga, UNICEF’s Representative in Uganda said that target of the project is to ensure that consistent high quality, technically viable water, sanitation and hygiene services are provided in schools to end child diseases.
“Meeting the national WASH in schools standards is critical to children staying in school, performing well in school and keeping healthy and well, among other benefits. As an example, the practice of hand washing with soap and clean water can reduce diarrhoea by around 40 per cent among young children, something that is urgently required considering diarrhoea is presently the third largest killer of young children in Uganda with around 30 children dying from it every day across the country,” said Dr Mulenga.
“We are therefore extremely grateful for this support from the people of Korea and welcome the Government’s commitment to ensure that the national WASH in schools standards are met in all schools across Karamoja,” she added.
She explained that the commitment is a precedent for all other Districts in Uganda to follow – to prioritize planning and budgeting the delivery of all interventions required to meet the national WASH in Schools standards.”
About KOICA
Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is the official aid implementing agency of the government of the Republic of Korea in Uganda.KOICA has been operating in Uganda since December 2010 and has been focusing mainly on projects geared towards the Improvement of Farmers’ income, ICT and Economic Infrastructure and other fields as seen below.KOICA’s ODA modality includes projects, training and Scholarship programs, WFK Volunteers and Advisor’s Program, Partnerships with Multilateral Cooperation, CSOs and other development partners.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.
