The focus of SSHE

The focus of school sanitation and hygiene education is on the development of life-skills, a healthy and safe school environment and outreach to families and communities. (more information on Life skills and Life skills education can be found on the SSHE web site). Investing in school sanitation and hygiene education has many benefits. It is in essence an investment in our future which:

• Promotes effective learning: Children perform better when they function in a hygienic and clean environment.
• Increases enrolment of girls: The lack of private sanitary facilities for girls can discourage parents from sending girls to school and contributes to the drop out of girls, particularly at puberty.
• Reduces incidences of disease and worm infections: If school sanitation and hygiene facilities are absent, or are badly maintained and used, schools can become a health hazard.
• Promotes environmental cleanliness: Presence and the proper use of facilities will prevent pollution of the environment and limit health hazards for the community at large.
• Implements children's rights: Children have the right to be as healthy and happy as possible. Being clean, healthy and having clean water and proper sanitation facilities contribute to a happy childhood.

The framework for school sanitation and hygiene education will, of course, change depending on the situation. However, the issues listed in Table 2 are usually benchmarks of an effective SSHE programme. This table also presents what most SSHE programmes would like to achieve.