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Managing school environment sans extra-expenditure

The Healthy Schools Project has been launched to ensure that all schools will have a friendly indoor and outdoor environment that will be a healthy, comfortable and productive place for students in Colombo, says Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).

This project will help schools to efficiently manage its environment without extra-expenditure, so that children will not be subjected to health hazards. This project will have as its main goal establishment of a sustainable system to monitor, evaluate and maintain the school environment, he said in a press release yesterday.

The objectives of the Healthy School, Projects, are:

To increase awareness among the school authorities, teachers, students, parents, past pupils, community and all citizens about the importance of a healthy environment in schools.

To activate school health clubs and involve students in the improvement of school environments and improve sanitary conditions in schools and to eradicate mosquito breeding in school premises.

To improve the indoor environment in schools to reduce indoor air pollution, improve lighting and ventilation. To set standards for lighting, indoor air quality, working space for students with proper ergonomic criteria.

To improve the psycho-social environment in schools and enhance emotional stability, and well-being among students and teachers.

To ensure food safety, nutritional levels and availability of safe drinking water within the school, especially in school canteens.

To create a sense of collective responsibility towards the school among the administrators, teachers, students, past pupils using the school clubs as a vehicle to foster friendship and teamwork among students.

To improve partnership between schools, Department of Education, municipal health authorities, NGOs, neighbourhood communities and the private sector to find sustainable solutions to problems faced by schools.

To create a sense of involvement, competitiveness among schools and linking the community to the school and use that as a mechanism for low-cost maintenance for a clean and healthy environment in schools and encourage recycling.

The mechanisms for implementation are:

Partnership development: A core-working group consisting officials of the Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council and the Department of Education, representatives of the Colombo University, School heads, members of NGOs, OBU/OGA and of the private sector organisations will be formed.

? Inter-programme collaboration: Healthy schools is not a new concept to many developed countries. Such programmes have been developed and implemented in other countries in different ways. Many programmes are mainly concerned about the air quality, drug abuse, or violence in schools. Although the issues in Colombo are different at the moment, this project will benefit from exposure to such programmes in other countries and exchange of views.

? Private-public partnership: Private sector and school partnership for Healthy Schools: Using the existing worked out mechanisms of the CMC Business Partnership module.

?Replication: The Public Health Department of the CMC will document the 'Healthy schools' concepts and experience explaining the role played by the said mechanisms in improving the environment in schools.

The document can be shared with the Department of Health for replication in other parts of the country and to other cities in developing countries.

The Public Health Department of the CMC presented the draft of the project to the Department of Education, donor agencies, private sector organisations and NGOs for their observations. The main idea behind this project is to certify the schools, which have a healthy and safe environment as 'Healthy Schools'. They will have to fulfil the majority of the criteria worked out to be granted the title of a 'Healthy School'. A marking scheme has already been worked out.

This project will start from selected schools in Colombo. Even though the majority of these schools have the infrastructure, they need urgent attention with regard to environmental health and sanitation. This is to ensure that at the beginning there would be enough interest from all parties concerned through a higher profile given to this project. This will also ensure participation of the private sector and a chance to involve thousands of students who will benefit initially. This will give the other schools also ample time to gather support and funds to improve their school environment.

In the beginning around 50 schools will be called to apply for this programme on a first come first served basis. As a start all schools, which have reached certification standard will be named 'Healthy Schools'.

Thereafter, schools will be encouraged to carry out specific projects to compete for the Healthiest School title in the coming years.

Schools eligible are national schools, private schools, international schools and Government schools at District level in Colombo.

Challenge trophies and prizes will be awarded to the winners. The project is funded by the World Health Organisation. SriLankan Airlines is sponsoring some events.

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