All of these individual examples actually make up the 5 elements of WinS: Water,

Sanitation, Hygiene, Health Education and Deworming. 

Introduction to WinS

The School Heads have to take charge of so many things in school

and they have to take charge of creating an environment that is conducive to learning.

In providing for the basic needs of the children the WASH in Schools or WinS,

is a way to achieve the improvement in the academic achievement of the children.

If the basic needs are addressed you are on your way to

achieving the other priorities of the School Head.

By providing for the basic needs like water and sanitation facilities,

the health of the children will be improved.

The children stay in the school for more than 8 hours, from 7 o'clock

and usually they go home between 4 to 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

So, while they are in school they have to be provided with safe water,

they have to use sanitation facilities that are well equipped,

while their other needs should also be provided.

In keeping with providing for a healthy and conducive learning environment,

the Department of Education has issued DepEd Order No.10 series of 2016

that describes the Elements of WASH in Schools.

If we talk of WinS it has 5 Elements - Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, Deworming and Health Education.

When we talk about water it looks into the availability of potable water for drinking

and water for cleaning, washing and other purposes.

In sanitation, it is achieved through the availability of toilets,

the practice of proper waste management and food safety.

Hygiene includes activities like hand washing and tooth brushing,

menstrual hygiene management and

facilities and supplies necessary for these activities to continue.

Deworming is about encouraging the students to participate in the deworming activity in school.

Health education is about strategies to take in order to increase awareness of the students

and the stakeholders about the elements of WinS.

Through these 5 Elements all stakeholders can work together to ensure that each learner WinS.

How do you think fulfilling any of the WinS elements (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, Deworming, Health
Education) can be connected to other school priorities like academic achievement, readiness to learn, creating a
conducive learning environment, etc.?

Cite one concrete example

Kids can easily get infected by other children.

It’s very difficult to get sick these days.

We don’t always have money to pay for hospitalization or buy medicines.

If this happens, it will affect our budget.

Usually, only babies are brought for regular check-up.

The check-ups are no longer done when kids get older.

It is only when they get sick that we bring our kids to the doctor.

We don’t get to monitor if their weight is appropriate for their age.

We often just look at them and assume that when they are fat, they are healthy.

If there is no CR in the school, what if the kids want to pee or poop?

They would have to wait for the classes to end.

They won’t be able to concentrate.

When our kids are already in school, we don’t get to monitor them anymore.

They touch different people, objects, they play around.

Those are the things that can cause illnesses.

One time somebody taught us in school how to properly wash our hands.

When I got home I showed this to mama.

I’m more confident now that I know my child knows what to do.

I see her washing her hands before and after eating.

Sometimes, she would even remind me, “Ma, you haven’t washed your hands yet.

Ma, you haven’t washed and yet you started cooking already.”

In our school, there is a schedule for hand washing.

We have a sink and soap that we can use.

We also have a CR with clean water.

After eating or recess, we wash our hands and brush our teeth too.

Before, I’m the one who is teaching my daughter.

But now, she’s the one who’s teaching me.

This is good, at least she knows the right thing to do.

I’m happy with the school because they have complete facilities.

There’s water, soap, CR.

The kids are also at ease because they know that anytime they need to use the CR, there’s one available.

They won’t be scared anymore.

The parents should help continue the practice at home.

We should support the school in their initiatives.

Collaborating with parents and other stakeholders form an important piece

of the puzzle in ensuring the successful implementation of WinS. Although
learners' basic WASH needs may be provided by the school, these need to
be reinforced through appropriate WASH behaviors at home as well.

To inspire parents and other stakeholders to support a school's WinS

program, it is often valuable to share stories, like what you saw in the video,
either about the consequences of its absence, or the benefits of a successful
implementation. These stories often surface a common concern among these
varied stakeholders: the well being of each learner.

Stories about how WinS affect our learners can make the program more
relatable, and can help those who are new to it understand why it makes
sense to prioritize it.

In your experience and/or observation as a teacher/administrator, or even

as a student before, what story can you tell about the consequences of the
absence of WinS or the benefits of having WinS in place in a school?

In the previous section, we shared our own stories and reflections about
WinS. When we share and listen to stories, the consequences and outcomes
of the program can become more concrete, most specially for our
stakeholders. Since a common concern is the wellbeing of learners, these
stories can help convey a sense of urgency and inspire others to support the
advocacy.

WinS is not just about the school. As mentioned earlier by Dr. Gemma
Ledesma, in DepEd, WinS is recognized as a nationwide initiative, as
articulated in DepEd order No. 10, s. 2016. However, more than that,
fulfilling the WinS needs of a school can also lead to the fulfillment of other
national and global goals. The list below shows you some relevant global,
national and local policy frameworks that are related to the implementation
of WinS. All these enables you or helps you in implementing WinS.

The WinS policy puts in place quality standards for a safe learning
environment, with a focus on five (5) elements: water, sanitation, hygiene,
deworming and health education. All schools should comply with the
standards mentioned in the WinS policy.

WinS is also one of the school health priority programs of DepEd as reflected
in policies related to OK sa DepEd and Brigada Eskwela.

For educators, ensuring that schools address learners’ basic needs for water,
sanitation, hygiene, and dignity are provided by the school as a prerequisite
for learning
 In the previous section, you learned about the relevant global, national and
local policies in place to help you advocate to your wider community about
WASH in School (WinS).

WinS has become more relevant as we face the threat of Coronavirus

Disease 19 (COVID-19). COVID 19 is a respiratory disease with fever,
cough, and shortness of breath as common symptoms. It is spread by
directly touching an infected person or a contaminated surface with infected
viral droplets.

It is important to arm yourself with knowledge and skills in preventing this

highly infectious disease. As educators, you also have a role in informing
others, especially your learners, about COVID-19 and how to combat it. 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW AS SCHOOL HEADS AND TEACHERS

Implement preventive and control measures indicated in several Department
of Education Memoranda about COVID-19:

 First set of policy directives

 Second set of policy directives 

 Third set of policy directives

 Fourth set of policy directives

 Fifth set of policy directives 

Learn about preventing the spread of COVID-19 through essential good

hygiene practices (video). 

Know why social distancing is important (video). 

Answer your questions about handwashing and COVID-19 (frequently asked

questions).

Read guidance for prevention and control in schools (guidance document from

UNICEF, WHO and IFRC).
 WHAT YOU CAN USE TO INFORM LEARNERS ABOUT COVID-19
Be aware of principles in talking to children about COVID-19 (article).

Use the following materials to teach about:

 Proper handwashing steps (video)

 Importance of using soap: 1) by using glitter (video); and 2) by using ground

pepper (video)

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT COVID-19

The WASH in Schools Network compiled in a knowledge map links to relevant
materials on COVID-19. The materials featured in the links above came from
this knowledge map. The knowledge map contains high quality, reliable
references for the education system, families, pre-primary, primary and
secondary school children. 

Now that you know how proper hygiene and simple measures such as social
distancing can prevent COVID-19, we are called to apply these in our lives.

1. Identify a particular stakeholder that you would like to advocate WinS to.
(ex. parents).

2. Write a speech to help convince your target stakeholder to

participate/contribute to your School's WinS Program. Imagine that you will
be addressing them for 5-10 minutes. In doing so, consider including the
objective and benefits of the program, and how it is relevant to them.

3. You may write the speech in your mother tongue or local language, but
please also provide an english translation.

adequate amount of hand wash facilities

facilities for drinking water, such as water containers or water dispensers.

a public awareness campaign on sanitation and hygiene

In addition to giving follow-up to the education and construction activities, the committee will keep a
record on the health statistics/absentees in the school.
This will allow them to monitor the health impact of the programme, as well as, will quickly show the
need for corrective measures, if considered necessary.

Would you send your child to a school that neither provides access to water and hygiene