PROMOTING SCHOOL HYGIENE AS A TOOL FOR DISEASES CONTROL AND HEALTHY LIVING

Abstract

A healthy school environment is one in which the school setting supports students’ health
and well-being and helps them build a strong foundation for learning. In this
environment, good nutrition, basic safety, clean air and water, access to care, control
and prevention of disease and making healthy choices allows students to thrive. In a
healthy school, all students deserve access to a clean and safe environment with good air
quality, schools should provide students with nutritious meals and opportunities for
physical activity and teaching students about importance of hygiene. A healthy school
environment (physical, biological and socio - cultural) serves as a major determinant of
health and greatly influences the individual's level of intellectual growth and
development. This paper therefore reviewed the school health programme, hygienic
approaches for control of infection, and importance of school hygiene and sanitation. It
was therefore concluded that good hygiene at school and at home keeps infectious
diseases away, practice good hand hygienic, ensure food safety, clean and disinfect
properly and stay away from school if infected which promotes healthful living.
Therefore, it was recommended that schools should practice good personal hygiene to
improve well - being of all, health educators should ensure healthful living in schools.