ActionAid Ghana has handed over five mechanised boreholes and five urinal facil­ities to five public basic schools in the Northern Region, as part of efforts to improve access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in educational institu­tions.The beneficiary schools included Kalariga Saqafat Islamic Primary School, Kpanvo Islamic Primary School in the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and Kul­nyevila Primary School, Dimala Zion Primary school and Gbari­ma M /A Primary School in the Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly.The facilities, which were hand­ed over during a brief ceremony, are expected to benefit hundreds of school children by providing clean drinking water and improved sanitation infrastructure.This intervention forms part of ActionAid's broader commitment to give back to schools located in the region with the ultimate aim of promoting children's health and well-being.Mrs Beatrice Yanman, Office Representative, speaking on behalf of the Northern Regional Pro­gramme Manager of ActionAid Ghana, Madam Esther Boateng, emphasisied the essence of proper hygiene and sanitation in schools.She highlighted the lack of ade­quate water supply and sanitation facilities in many basic schools and urged school authorities to ensure these amenities are well-maintained and utilised effectively.She further stated that the importance of sanitation in the de­velopment of every child however, cannot be downplayed.''Good health and environmen­tal sanitation in schools and institu­tions of higher learning could only be achieved if schools have access to adequate toilet facilities and drinkable water at 87.7 per cent and 77.7 per cent respectively,'' she noted.According to her, most basic schools in Ghana do not have basic sanitation facilities: '' and situations where they exist, they are either not functional, do not have separated facilities for boys and girls or are not near the school premises.''''As a result, teenage girls in such schools miss up to four days of classes each month during their menstrual periods.

This situation contravenes the 1992 constitution of Ghana, which guarantees the right to education for all.

It is also deemed a violation of the girls' right to education, effec­tively excluding them from full participation in school."Clean water and good sani­tation are essential to the health of our children and their ability to stay in school.

We urge school management to take full respon­sibility for the upkeep of these facilities," she stressed.She also noted that the pro­vision of boreholes and urinal facilities forms part of Action­Aid's efforts to curb absenteeism, especially among girls, who are disproportionately affected by poor sanitation in schools.Alhaji Mahamadu Issahaka, the Circuit Director of Education for Dabokpa, applauded Action­Aid for its continued support in addressing sanitation challenges in schools in the region."This support will go a long way to improve the overall school environment.