School hygiene is something we don’t talk about enough and it is crucial for children’s health and well-being. Do you know how clean is your kids’ school? Not really, right?
Even if your child knows all the best hygiene practices, if a school they attend doesn’t provide a clean and safe environment, those practices won’t mean much.
So, let’s see the importance of proper hygiene in schools.
1. Healthier students
Every school’s main concern should be their students’ health and well-being. And good and proper school hygiene is one way to make sure that the students are healthy.
That’s why it’s highly important that every school improves cleaning practices, invests in waste management, and works on teaching children how to improve their personal hygiene.
Classrooms, bathrooms, halls, and every corner of the school should be clean at all times. By keeping the school clean you are reducing the chances of spreading germs, bacteria, and other contagious illnesses. Schools should also invest in natural and plant-based cleaning products that are non-toxic and in no way a danger to children.
School bathrooms should be cleaned most frequently, and the cleaning should include disinfecting sinks, toilets, and urinals, restocking toilet paper, emptying the trash, and mopping the floors. Schools should also invest in quality electric hand dryers because they are much more hygienic than paper towels.
2. Increased attendance
Improved school hygiene means increased attendance. Both students and staff members are more likely to regularly attend school if they are healthy.
Irregular school attendance can lead to increased repetition and drop-out rates, and low levels of learning. When it comes to staff, the school needs to find an appropriate substitution, which costs a lot of time and money.
So, to minimize the chances of irregular attendance every school should find ways to minimize the sources of bacteria, germs, and allergens. School hygiene has a direct impact on student attendance, so a logical step would be to improve the overall school hygiene.
3. Motivation and engagement
Creating a healthy and clean environment is a great way to increase motivation and engagement at schools. Both students and staff members will be more interested and motivated to learn and work in a school that has clear health-related policies.
The hygiene, as well as the aesthetic side of a room, building, or classroom, has a lot to do with morale and how well students perform at school. Being in dirty, unhygienic, and aesthetically unpleasing classrooms and schools can negatively affect the overall morale of both students and staff. The cleanliness can also influence parents to enroll their children in a certain school.
Teachers could also encourage and teach children to keep their classrooms clean. That’s a great way to motivate children and teach them the importance of hygiene and a clean environment.
4. Peace of mind for parents
A clean school environment means peace of mind for parents. It’s not uncommon for parents to opt to homeschool their children because the school environment is causing them to be constantly ill. This is especially true for children with weaker immune systems.
So, in addition to keeping the schools clean, we also need to work on teaching students personal hygiene practices. Children should be taught the importance of clean hands, the importance of covering their nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing and so much more.
If a school can guarantee a clean and hygienic environment, and if it takes the responsibility of teaching children personal hygiene, parents won’t have any problems letting their children go back to school.
5. Improved waste management
Another thing that can contribute to the overall hygiene of schools is waste management. Schools generate a significant amount of waste, so it would be great if they had appropriate ways to dispose of that waste.
One way to ensure that the schools are waste-free is by providing enough waste bins all over the school premises. That means, in addition to classroom waste bins, hallways, playgrounds and offices should also have waste bins.
The waste from waste bins should be disposed of regularly and floors should also be cleaned. Students should also be taught to throw trash in the bins and not all around.
Every student deserves to learn and spend time in a clean and safe environment. Every staff member also deserves to have a clean and safe work environment. That’s why schools need to keep their premises as hygienic as possible.
Keeping a school hygienic is not difficult, it’s all about implementing a good cleaning system and teaching children the importance of personal hygiene habits.
