11 effective steps for protecting the health of the students

Following steps should be taken to protect the health of the students:

1. Cleanliness:

The cleanliness of the school environment is the first thing to be attended to the rooms, play-ground, lavatories, urinals and other places should be kept entirely clean. It should not be difficult for any school to attend to these basic things howsoever, poor it might be financially.

But many schools ignore this vital necessity and their rooms and the total environments are full of kinds of unhygienic conditions. It hardly needs mentioning that this situation adversely affects the health of child.

2. Arrangement for Adequate Light and Fresh Air:

In the forgoing pages we have emphasized at several places the importance of sufficient light and fresh air in the school. This should be considered as one of the most important constituents of health education programmed.

3. Health Examination:

Every student in the school should be medically examined at least thrice a year, according to a prefixed programme. The result of this examination should be communicated to the concerned teachers and guardians in order that the necessary may be done for the child.

The progress of health of each student should be carefully watched on the basis of the medical examination result. For this, each teacher should be required to perform his share of the responsibility, and due allowance should be given for this in assigning teaching load to him so that he may not feel overworked.

4. Education in Physiology and Hygiene:

Every student should be made conversant with the basic elements of physiology and hygiene. For this, at least one period a week should be devoted. Some suitable lecture by some physician or specialist at least once a month should also be arranged.

5. Good Refreshment and Pure Water:

Pure water must be available in the school. If there are wells, they must be kept in perfect hygienic conditions. Sellers of fruits and other edibles should be carefully inspected and they must not be allowed to play with the health of students by selling rotten and stale things.

The school should also arrange for some refreshment in the mid day. This refreshment should consist of nutritive elements.

6. Physical Exercise:

The students get mental exercise in learning the various subjects, but most of them do not get the necessary physical exercise. For this, facilities of various types of games, sports and plays should exist in the school in order to cater to students with various, abilities, inclination and aptitudes.

All the students should be en­couraged to participate in these according to their individual interest. Both the Indian and Western style of games, sports and plays should be organised.

7. School Building, its Site and Location:

The school building should contain a number of rooms according to the standard of the school and needs of pupils and teachers. It should be located in a quiet and pleasant environment, away from the noise and dust of the populated area of the town or village.

It should have extensive lawns and play-grounds. It should serve as a big laboratory where total health may be lived, learned and remembered for future living.

8. Ample sanitary, washing and toilet Facilities:

A sufficient quantity of good water is also needed for sanitary, washing and toilet purposes in school. It is a pity that most of our schools, especially the elementary schools and schools in the rural area, lack this arran­gement. Many schools buildings do not even have latrines, urinals and bathroom attached to them.

And where such arrangement does exist, little attention is paid to washing and cleanliness. Foul smell coming out of this portion of the school premises spoils the entire school environment. It is, therefore essential that toilets and latrines etc. must be regularly washed and kept neat and clean.

9. Safe and adequate sewage System:

In India we generally lack this system in majority of our schools. Except in modern school building built in big cities sewage disposal system is not available in other schools.

However, if flush system is not possible, ever-clean latrines and good drainage system must be provided in every school building.

10. Safe and Sanitary Lunch Room:

During the recess period, children of a school generally take their lunch, But there is no separate lunch room provided in most of our schools, for girls or boys. The result is that most children sit in the open compound, grassy lawns or even in class-rooms for taking their lunch. This is quite unsafe and insanitary. There is seldom any arrangement for washing hands.

11. Modern adjustable seats and desks:

Good designed furniture specially designed for children of different age group should be available.