Barbara Ayisi Acher with the mascot and officials of One on One Foundation
The One on One Foundation, a non-governmental organisation with focus on the sanitation sector, has launched the fourth edition of its flagship programme dubbed ‘Schools Sanitation Tour’.
The programme which entails a tour of boarding schools in the country to sensitise students on best practices in good personal hygiene and environmental sanitation will visit 20 senior high schools in the country this year.
It will also be a platform for students to be part of the sanitation clubs in their schools and also compete for the sanitation ambassador position to champion sanitation in the country.
Emmanuel Ola Williams, President of One on One Foundation, in his opening statement, disclosed that the initiative was birthed out of the desire to join the national sanitation campaign after the country was ranked poorly in both regional and international sanitation polls.
He said the tour is targeted at senior high schools, especially boarding schools, since recent health news has raised issues about their sanitation.
Outlining the programme, Mr Williams mentioned that the foundation, in collaboration with the Education Ministry, will visit the schools on the weekends and spend time with the children, monitoring their personal hygiene and environmental sanitation practices.
He said a cleaning competition will be held between the various houses of the schools visited with winners emerging after inspection by the team.
Mr Williams further that the students will also engage in other sanitation-related activities like drama and community outreach.
“The student who emerges the overall winner will become the sanitation ambassador for a year,” he said.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Barbara Ayisi Acher, expressed the ministry’s support to the programme, indicating that sanitation in senior high school is a priority.
She said with the initiation of the programme, the youth will become conversant with environmental sanitation which is part of the civic responsibility of every Ghanaian.
Madam Ayisi Acher also urged parents to support the schools by teaching their children the importance of personal hygiene at the formative years so they would grow with that attitude.
The mascot for the tour was later outdoored by the deputy minister.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri