A third of the world’s students lack access to drinking water, UNESCO said

One third of the children of the world they do not have drinking water in their schoolswhich not only affects their health, but also limits their ability to learn, said the Unesco in a report published last Wednesday.

“Globally, close to one in three schools does not have drinking water (…). One in three schools does not have basic sanitary facilities”point out this document titled “Ready to Learn and Thrive: Health in School and Nutrition in the World”.

“Almost half of schools lack handwashing facilities with soap and water. And progress is very slow.”he warned.

“Children from low-income countries are less likely to attend schools that offer these basic services, and coverage is weakest in sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific,” pointed to the text.

This lack of infrastructure prevents schools from offering “a safe environment that protects against diseases, covid, parasites, respiratory diseases, diarrhoea”observes Emilie Sidaner, coordinator of this Unesco publication, interviewed by AFP.

This mainly represents a “challenge” for the girls, and sometimes also for the teachers, who “they cannot go to school when they are on their menstruation”which hinders the “equitable access to education for girls”specified this specialist in health and school feeding.

The impact is also strong on child malnutrition, since schools do not have potable water to cook for their students, says Sidaner.

“There is a need to invest more in water and sanitation” because that allows a “quality learning”he claimed.

On the contrary, while hunger affects concentration and the desire to learn.

“If students are not healthy, well fed and protected at school, it is more difficult for them to acquire the knowledge that can be passed on to them”lamented the expert.

(With information from AFP)