Prioritize investment in school water supply and sanitation facilities.

(Baonghean.vn) - Due to limited funding, previous investment programs for the education sector mainly focused on building classrooms, functional rooms, and purchasing teaching equipment... without paying adequate attention to constructing water supply and sanitation facilities in schools. This has led to a situation where schools are built with modern facilities but lack adequate water supply and sanitation infrastructure.

Recently, the education sector has shown significant and appropriate investment in the construction of standard water supply and sanitation facilities in schools. This positive change is due to the fact that in 2009, the sector was assigned the task of implementing the Clean Water and Sanitation Program, and also benefited from the water supply program funded by the Danish organization DANIDA, which invested in many water supply and sanitation facilities in schools in Anh Son, Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, and Quynh Luu districts. The education sector proactively planned the construction of school water supply and sanitation facilities, while also organizing awareness campaigns, professional training, program management and direction, monitoring, evaluation, and surveys of the current state of school water and sanitation.

With the support of the Center for Clean Water and Sanitation and related sectors, the Department of Education and Training is strengthening information, education, and communication activities to raise awareness of sanitation and environmental issues among students, staff, and teachers, thereby changing behaviors regarding clean water and sanitation.

Currently, out of 507 kindergartens and preschools, only 273 have facilities. In 2011, through funding from the State, organizations, individuals, and beneficiaries, 3 kindergartens and preschools completed the construction of clean water supply and standard toilets.

Out of 1,126 secondary schools, 604 have clean water supply and toilet facilities. In 2011, 10 schools invested in the construction of these facilities. As a result, the percentage of schools with clean water supply and toilet facilities increased from 52.9% to 53.7% in 2011 (an increase of 0.8%), of which the percentage with clean water according to QCVN 02:2009/BYT reached 30%.

Our province's goal is to have 100% of schools equipped with water supply and sanitation facilities by 2015. Clearly, time is running out to achieve this goal, while investment capital for this sector faces many difficulties. Therefore, it is projected that in 2012, five more water supply and sanitation facilities will be built in preschools and kindergartens, and 12 in primary and secondary schools, meeting standards. In the coming period, significant pressure will fall on the Education and Training sector, and if investment capital is not secured, it will be difficult to achieve the set plan.

H. Vinh