SANITATION PRACTICES AND IMPLICATION ON STUDENTS HEALTH

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

World Health Organization defined sanitation as the means of collecting and disposing excreta and community liquids, waste in a hygienic way. So as not to endanger the health and welfare and also for the social and environmental effects, it may have on people; people have been suffering from one disease to another without knowing the problems of their illness, the situation and due to distress or dirty environment. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Similarly, Iheke (2010) sees sanitation as the process of keeping places clean and hygienic especially by providing a sewage system and a clean water supply. Sanitation refers to all conditions that affects the health of people in a geographical area. Billions of people still live without access to sanitation facilities and are unable to practice such basic hygienic as washing their hands with soap and water. Disease related to poor sanitation and water availability cause many people to die of sickness like cholera, diarrhea, malaria, typhoid, which damages the body tissues. Children are most vulnerable to health hazards and consequently are affected the most. In 1998, 2.2 million people died because of poor sanitation, which the vast majority were children.

In 1950 the world health organizations expert committee on environmental sanitation defines environmental sanitation as the control of community, water supplies, excreta and waste water disposal, refuse disposal, vector of diseases, housing conditions, food supplies and handling conditions, food supplies and atmospheric conditions and the safety of the working environment. Environmental problems have grown in complexity especially with the advert of radiation and chemical hazards. Meanwhile the world needs for the basic sanitation services (like drinking water supply, excreta and waste water disposal), have greatly increased as a result of rapid population growth and highly expectations.

There has been considerable awareness of water supply in institution, but the problems of excreta and waste disposal have receive less attention. In Enugu State College of Education (Technical), every where is littered with pure water polythene, pieces of papers and so on, without proper disposal. In order to focus attention of these problems. Sanitation exercise should be done daily to keep the environment clean by employing labourers that will help keep the school clean. Environments should be formulated in order to kill dangerous animals like snake, scorpion etc.

In school hostels, there are problems of over-crowding and these affects the health of the students in the hostel. More than 200 students share four (4) toilets. Mostly girls in hostel have inadequate sanitation facilities. With this premise, the researchers seek to find out the implication of sanitation practices on students health in Enugu State College of Education (Technical). Inadequate sanitation and water in school jeopardize not only the students health but also their attendance. Girls in particular area likely to be kept out of school, if there is no sanitation. Seminars should be organized in institutions to help educate students more, especially girls in the hostel on menstrual hygiene, sanitation hygienic practices, cleanliness in the surroundings. To make everywhere conducive for teaching and learning, lack of skills and this have hindered the educational prospects of girls residing in the hostel. Flies petch on dirts, toilet etc and later petch on uncovered foods and all this are dangerous to human health.

1.2 STATEMENTS OF PROBLEM

Control of pests, waste disposal had become a problem in our environment because of poor sanitation practices. Diseases related to poor sanitation and water availability causes many people to die of sickness like cholera, diarrhea, malaria, typhoid which damages the body tissues. However, it is not clear on the extent in which school management and student union government (SUG) have contributed in curbing poor sanitation practices. The problem of this study is to find out the strategies which could be employ to provide facilities to students to reduce dirtiness.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to find out the implication of sanitation practices on students health in Enugu State college of Education (technical). Specifically this study was to:

1. Identify the causes of poor sanitation practices on student’s health in Enugu State College of Education (Technical)

2. Determine the extent in which the school management have contributed in providing facilities that will enhance sanitation practices in Enugu State College of Education (Technical) Enugu.

3. Find out the strategies that could be employed to curb dirtiness in Enugu State College of Education (Technical).

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will enable the students in Enugu State College of Education, to better understand and cultivate a clean environment because cleanliness is next to Godliness. The finding will help the following people:
The students to know the needs of hygiene or health practices, because cleanliness in next to Godliness and also enable to have a sound health, if sanitation is practiced by the students, sickness and diseases will be reduced. To the school management: The findings will help the school management to provide adequate facilities that will enable the labourers to keep the environment clean and tidy, also provide fund for buying disinfectant and Antiseptic, and also paying the labourers.

Government:- The findings will help the government, to formulate a policies that will enable their follow students keep the environment clean and regulations on the school. Also they serve as a mediator between the management and the students.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In order to find answers to the objective of this study, the researchers formulated the following research questions.

1. What are the causes of poor sanitation practices on students health in Enugu State college of Education (Technical)?

2. What are the dangers of poor sanitation practices on students health in Enugu State College of Education (Technical) Enugu.?

3. What are the strategies that could be employed to improve sanitation in Enugu State college of Education (Technical) Enugu?

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study was delimited to determining the implication of sanitation practice in student’s health in schools especially those in hostel in Enugu State College of Education (Technical).