Govt all set to launch oral hygiene porgramme

Hygiene kits will be distributed among students of 423 public sector schools in capital

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government is all-set to launch “Oral Hygiene Programme” at 423 public sector schools and colleges functioning under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) keeping in view the importance of hygiene facilities in educational institutions.

Under this programme, the federal government through the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training would distribute ‘Hygiene Kits’ among the students of the government educational institutions within Islamabad Capital Territory jurisdiction. Doctors would be engaged to guide students on the use of these kits consisting of tools for teeth cleanliness, soap and sanitizers.

“Hygiene Kits distribution programme will be launched in April 2023 with the distribution of as many as 100,000 kits among the students,” said Director Academics Federal Directorate of Education Riffat Jabeen. “The government will hire doctors to execute this programme who will guide students about cleanliness and check their health conditions. If any student is found suffering from any disease, he or she will be referred to the hospital for a detailed check-up.”

She said facilities like dispensers for clean drinking water, liquid or soap for hand washing after the use of toilets are already being provided at each government school and college of Islamabad. “Students are also guided about cleanliness, taking bath regularly, washing hands, brushing their teeth and ablution for prayer.”

Jabeen said that some private organisations are also engaged with FDE to provide missing facilities at schools especially clean drinking water and Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) played an important role in this regard.

Despite her claims, there are complaints of missing facilities at schools, especially for female students as poor cleanliness and substandard food supplied by canteens inside the school premises and private vendors outside, was proving to be hazardous for the students' health.

In many cases, there is also a deficiency of bathrooms as compared to the number of students with many needing immediate repair and up-gradation as Director Monitoring FDE Malik Sohail assured to provide missing facilities. “We are on way to bridge this gap and missing facilities are being ensured for all such institutions,” said Sohail.

Principal Islamabad Model College for Boys F-6/2 Ali Ahmad Kharal said that Prime Minister’s Education Reforms Programme worth Rs4 billion was launched for betterment of ICT Schools and Colleges especially in rural areas. Out of this amount, around Rs3 billion were used for renovation and provision of missing facilities at the public sector educational institutions of Islamabad with Rs500 million utilised to improve transportation facility by purchasing 200 new buses. The remaining Rs500 million were reserved for new curriculum.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in 2017 had launched Educational Reforms Programme for upgrading facilities at 423 schools and colleges in the federal capital. Under this programme, the facilities of science and IT labs, classrooms, libraries, sports and play areas were upgraded at some 21 educational institutions during the first month while remaining were upgraded in next 10 months.

“Hygiene conditions are far better now than the past years especially at institutions where the principal and staff are active,” said Ali Ahmed Kharal.

As the efforts are on to achieve the targets of better cleanliness and hygiene, in some cases the shortage of staff and funds is also reported. “At some institutions there is shortage of sanitary staff and a requisition has been forwarded for induction of more sweepers and sanitary workers to overcome the shortage,” said Federal Government Teachers Association President Malik Ameer Ahmad Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2023.