World Handwashing Day falls on October 15th annually, coordinated by UNICEF PNG, the Education Department and Department of Health.
This year, the Secretary for Health has already sent out a circular to all schools calling out to them to hold lead-up activities to the WHD, in their respective schools and the New Erima Primary School is one.
With the Motto; “Our future is at hand, Let’s move forward together”, UNICEF PNG selected two schools in NCD to celebrate the 2021 World Handwashing Day.
The New Erima Primary School in the Moresby Northeast electorate was one of the model schools selected to observe Day.
A Grade seven senior teacher, Delma Ghandia said 2500 students will be participating in the celebrations on Friday, but only selected grades were given certain tasks to prepare for the event.
“For the last three days I talked to my students on how to write up an essay basing on handwashing. I asked them to do three drafts and the final one is selected for the presentation on Friday.
“Most of our kids are coming from the settlement and sometimes they do forget about washing hands so when my school got selected I was very happy to teach them how to wash their hands so when they go back they can help their family at home,” Mrs Ghandia said.
The school is located within the squatter settlements, where there is lack of clean water and proper sanitation facilities, so handwashing is very important for health and safety from diseases.
Grade three to eight were selected to prepare for the WHD event this Friday and they were asked to write poems and draw on topics relating to handwashing while grades five and six were tasked to do posters. Grades seven and eight were tasked to write short essays on any topics relating to Hand Washing.
Hand Washing is an important component of the Water Supply and Sanitation Hygiene programme under the National Health department.
In terms of health handwashing is one of the preventive measures for direct diseases so observing this day we are encouraging not only the schools but other institutions like health within their own settings to set up handwashing facilities.
Since 2020 when the COVID-19 started, New Erima Primary School purchased and set up water taps and basins for children to wash their hands.
There is a set each for respective grades as well as another 12 extra for the school.
