School-based sanitation education programme and environmental hygiene: The case of Tamale Senior High School in the Sagnarigu Municipality

Abstract

Sanitation infrastructure provision in Senior High Schools, including Tamale Senior High School (SHS) without a blend with educational intervention is hampering the sustainability of environmental sanitation practices. As such, there is the need to assess the impacts of a school-based sanitation programme on environmental sanitation and changes in environmental hygiene practices by students. The main objective of the study is to assess the impacts of a school-based sanitation education programme in the Tamale SHS. A quasiexperimental pre-test and post-test design was employed, targeting SHS 1 to SHS 3 students across programmes. The study is guided by the social cognitive theory and the theory of planned behaviour. A sample size of 373 students was selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through questionnaire administration and observation. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were resorted to for quantitative data analysis. The study revealed significant improvements in environmental sanitation and hygienic practices after programme implementation. The study concludes that environmental sanitation and student hygiene behaviours in the Tamale SHS are positively influenced by structured sanitation education coupled with infrastructure support. The study recommends for integration of participatory Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) education into school educational programmes by stakeholders.