ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this study was to assess the sanitary conditions of primary schools in Nsukka Education Authority of Enugu State. The study was guided by four purposes, four research questions and four null hypotheses. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The study was carried out in Nsukka Central Education Authority of Enugu State. The population of the study comprised of all the teachers in public primary schools in Nsukka Education authority. A total number of 582 respondents including teachers and head teachers constituted the population. A sample of 110 respondents were used for the study. A researcher constructed questionnaire titled Assessment of Sanitary Condition of Primary schools Environment Questionnaire (ASCPSQ), and interview schedule were used for collecting data for the study. The instruments were validated by three experts and based on their observations, criticisms and corrections, the research instruments were modified appropriately. The reliability of the ASCPSQ was established by trial testing it on a group of 20 primary school teachers in Igbo-Etiti local government area which is outside the area of the study. Estimates of internal consistency was computed for the instrument using Cronbach’s alpha and the overall reliability index of 0.85was obtained. Copies of ASCPSQ was administered by the researcher on the spot to the respondents with the help of three research assistants who were given one day training by the researcher on how to administer and retrieve the questionnaires from the respondents. Scores obtained from ASCPSQ were analyzed using mean (x) and standard deviation (SD) in order to provide answers for the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using t- test statistic at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study among others showed that sanitary resources are rarely accessible in primary schools in Nsukka Central Education Authority. It was also found that sanitary resources are functional to a low extent and cleanliness is observed in primary schools in Nsukka central education authority to a low extent. The implication of the above findings were highlighted and it was recommended among others that since sanitary resources are rarely accessible in primary schools in Nsukka Central Education Authority, adequate number of sanitary resources should be provided in each primary school in Nsukka Education authority for easy accessibility. It was also recommended that the available sanitary resources should be maintained and properly taken care of by the school management and whoever is concern with the maintenance of sanitary conditions in the primary schools. The limitations of this study were highlighted and suggestions were made for further studies.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Sanitation involves all the arrangements geared towards keeping the environment safe and clean. This can be done through the process of removing things which could be considered unpleasant or unwholesome from posing health hazard to human beings that are residing in a place. Such processes may be required the use of water, chemicals or physically transferring dirt from a temporary place to a more permanent site. Proper sanitation helps to eliminate possible causative pathogenic agents like bacteria, fungi, virus which are responsible for diseases such as cholera, influenza, whooping cough, among others (Park, 2008). The writer added that sanitation is a hygienic means of preventing human contact from the hazard of waste products to promote good health. The hazards are often posed by microbial activities, physical and chemical elements as contaminants. All these elements have their adverse effects on human health due to contaminations by harmful substances.
It is necessary to dispose wastes and sewages in order to safeguard the lifes of people living within an area. According to Grey (2002), sanitation is the hygienic disposal or recycling of waste materials that are harmful to human health. Appropriate sanitation in primary schools is fundamental for effective learning and prevention of disease prone to children. Proper sanitation is a key developmental intervention as having access to it increases health, well-being and economic productivity (Aremu, 2012). The writer further observed that the first challenge for country seeking to solve the problem of access to sanitation is to define what sanitation really means. The second is to decide what aspects are the most important. In other word, what aspect of the problem is going to be dealt with as a priority. Such problem is not a simple one and experts are needed to map out strategies in order to solve such problem.
There are three types of sanitation, namely, basic sanitation, water sanitation and site sanitation. According to (WHO, 2004), basic sanitation is a process by which solid waste and sewage collection are disposed. Methods of such sanitation include, Land fills, incineration, composition and recycling. Landfills refers to making use of rigid protocols for daily cover with top soil. It is common with developed countries. Some developed countries customarily rely upon less stringent protocols. The essence of topsoil cover is to reduce vector contact and spreading of germs. Daily cover reduces wind blown. Another method of basic sanitation is incineration which means collecting of rubbish in a container and the materials are burnt down. The essence is to get rid of such garbage that constitute nuisance to human health. In the process of the burning, air pollutants (toxic) are released but the position of such burning is normally far and isolated from peoples residence. Composting method of basic sanitation is a system of heaping materials in a specific place and burning them. In most cases, this process reduces the materials to drastic minimal so that even the micro-organisms and germs that may breed from such heap are destroyed. Finally, recycling method of basic sanitation is treating already used materials with chemical and mechanical devices and converting same to suitable fit product for human consumption (Grey, 2002).
Water sanitation refers to proper management of water that makes it fit for drinking and other domestic services. Management is a process through which group efforts or activities are directed toward the achievement of preconceived objectives (Onuh and Thomas, 2000). Examples of such efforts include chlorination of water. This is a way of treating water with chlorine especially when the sources are doubtful so that such water will be suitable for human consumption. In this management, a small amount of chlorine is added to the water to sanitize it. Site sanitation is another type of basic sanitation which is a process of removing unwanted materials from a particular site. It may be in factory, farm or industry. Examples of such site sanitation include, removal of damage or out of use vehicles, machines, carbide, among others. Such materials if unremoved cause a lot of inconvenience to workers and site owners. Apart from inconveniencing the workers at their working places, they harbor harmful animals and insects like snakes, scorpions and others which often attack people at work places. (Conant 2005). Whether it is basic, water and site sanitation, the essence is to remove unpleasant or unwanted materials or dent from something or area.
Sanitary resources refer to materials that are used to achieve sanitation in any environment. It is necessary to educate children and adults as well on important of sanitary resources in every place of human dwelling. The reason is that, without them our environments can not be kept clean and as a result, the health and lives of the inhabitants are at danger. Example of sanitary resources include, brooms, dustbins, mops, rakes, refuse dumps, conveniences (toilet, bathroom, urina), portable water, playing grounds, lawns, canteens. Refectories, sanitizers, soaps, toilet tissues, dettols, hand towel, health personels (nurses, health educators, doctors) wash hand basin (Arakoyu, 2014). The writer added that accessibility of people to sanitary resources means that people have reasonable means of getting safe water and other sanitary materials for drinking, washing and other essential household activities. It is expressed as a percentage of the total population. In schools setting, pupils should have access to conveniences, playing grounds, classroom buildings and other environmental elements like canteens, lawns and refectories. Since such access promote teaching and learning process and ultimately enhance goal objectives.
Another aspect that should be looked at is the functionality of sanitary resources. Some sanitary resources like toilets, urinal, dustbins, lawns, playing ground are not functional in many primary schools. Majority of sanitary resources are not working very effectively and as such, they are not being utilized by pupils and staff. In most cases, the functionality of these resources depend on caring and maintenance of those materials or facilities (Arokoyu, 2014). Teachers and school authorities should develop interest in some of these sanitary resources to enable pupils utilize them so that those materials can function very effectively. The cleanliness of primary school environment is of paramount importance to the lives of pupils, teachers and even visitors within the primary school settings. Such neatness enhances the tone of school and improves the health status of the individuals within the school compound. Apart from improving the health condition of the pupils and staff, it creates conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning output (Lucas and Gills, 2003).
The influence of sanitary condition of primary school environment to teaching and learning process is many and varied. Pupils and staff benefit from good sanitary environment but loose tremendously from poor sanitary environment. Good sanitary environment boost teaching and learning output. For instance, appropriate sanitation in primary schools is fundamental for effective teaching and learning (Aremu, 2012). On the other hand, poor environment breeds germs that often cause disease like diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, ascaris (worm) to children and staff within the school compound (Lucas and Gills 2003). The author added that the poor sanitary environment leads to lack of spaces in the classroom, aggressiveness among the pupils and distraction due to noisy environment. Poor sanitary environment at times emits offensive odour from urinal and other dirty apartments which is very irritating, inconveniencing and often leads to illness among pupils and staff in primary schools.
These diseases can be prevented, intervened and control through the following ways; namely sanitizing environment is one of the best means for preventing certain diseases that infect pupils within the school settings. To sanitize environment means to formulate action that will ensure the effective implementation of measures designed to facilitate the promotion of hygiene and sewage disposal (Agbaji, 2006). One of such action is blocking the route or sources of infection. Intervening on disease helps to eradicate disease occurrence, example is isolation. This is to avoid the patient from infecting other health ones. Intervention is very necessary on diseases that are contagious or highly infectious among school children. Examples of such diseases include, chicken pox, small pox, measles, scabies among others. Controlling of diseases among pupils is very essential especially when prevention and intervention can not work effectively. This is done through periodic medical check-up and treatment. These exercises help to safeguard the health of pupils and bring the children back to normal life.
In order to create conducive sanitary environment for teaching and learning, the following strategies should be used. The school compounds and their surroundings should be kept clean. This is very important within the school premises. Cleaning environmental elements like classrooms, offices, conveniences and surroundings is essential to ensure high academic output among children (Barreto, Gnesser, Strima, Teixera, Assis, 2007). Other strategies in improving school sanitary environment is provision of safe and adequate supply of water, provision of health personnels, inspection of pupils canteens by nutritionist and installing the services of health educator to impact hygiene education to pupils and staff. (Ekeh and Adeniyi, 2008).
