Editor's Note

WASH in Schools (WinS) Policy

Seven years ago or on 19 February 2016, the Department of Education launched the WASH in Schools Policy, which was articulated in DepEd Order No. 10, s. 2016. More specifically, the Department Order is entitled “Policy and Guidelines for the Comprehensive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools (WinS) Program”. It was during the 2016 Presidential Conference of WASH in Schools in Pasay City in March 2016 when then DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro unveiled this laudable program.

The 8 key components of WASH in Schools Program, as can be found in the DepEd website, are the following:

1. Oral hygiene and proper handwashing; 2. Provision of safe and adequate water supply; 3. Provision of toilet, handwashing, and drainage facilities; 4. Environmental sanitation (including the elimination of breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus) and solid waste management; 5. Food sanitation; 6. Menstrual Hygiene Management; 7. Deworming; and, 8. Hygiene and sanitation education.

Although there have been various similar programs separately and perhaps irregularly undertaken prior to 2016, it was the WASH in Schools policy that integrated all these into one program. As can be seen in the key components enumerated above, the new policy also introduced Hygiene and sanitation education (where a Rotary Club project to support the DepEd can be pursued). Proper handwashing is of course among the leading component, but must be tied with the third component, which is the provision of adequate handwashing facilities.

The DepEd is exerting efforts to monitor the schools’ compliance with the WinS Policy. Through a Memorandum (No. 00-0521-0145) issued in May 2021, the Office of the Undersecretary for Administration issued the guidelines to properly report each school’s progress and level of compliance. In the standard monitoring form that is required to be filled-out, the school must report that it has been able to regularly perform a supervised student group handwashing activity for elementary students. In relation to this, the school must have washing stations in increments of 10 water outlets, and the number of these washing stations must be enough to cater to a larger student population.

It is in this regard that the Rotary Club of Manila is currently constructing a washing station that is suitable for second to third grade students, with 10 water faucets. This project that was launched in Isabelo delos Reyes Elementary School in Tondo will be completed in the coming days, and will hopefully be another WASH Project that our Rotary Club can be proud of.