Over 6,000 Kano schools lack water and hygiene facilities, putting pupils at health and safety risk, UNICEF and authorities warn

Stakeholders have raised alarm over the absence of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities in 6,279 public schools in Kano State, warning that the gap poses a serious threat to the safety, health, and education of pupils.

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The concern was highlighted during a media and stallholders dialogue on WASH services in schools and primary healthcare facilities, organised by the Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation in collaboration with UNICEF, held in Kano on Wednesday.

Field assessments conducted in some schools revealed that only 2,503 out of Kano State’s public primary and junior secondary schools have functional WASH facilities, leaving more than 6,200 schools without basic hygiene services.

Stakeholders emphasised that the lack of these facilities contributes to the spread of preventable diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera, increases absenteeism, and disproportionately affects girls, compromising safety, dignity, and learning outcomes.

Hajiya Amina Umar, Secretary to the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), representing the Chairman, acknowledged the gaps in WASH services.

She said the state government includes WASH initiatives in its annual budget, aiming for full coverage in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 agenda, but delayed budget releases sometimes hamper implementation.

“We will continue collaborating with communities, UNICEF, development partners, and NGOs to enhance the provision and maintenance of WASH facilities at school level,” Hajiya Umar said, assuring that the present administration will maintain funding for these initiatives.

UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office Kano, Mr. Rahama Rihood Mohammed, warned that the poor state of WASH services in schools and primary healthcare facilities is a national concern.

Drawing on findings from the 2021 WASHNORM II survey, he noted that only 11 per cent of schools nationwide have access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services, while just six per cent of health facilities meet the minimum standards.

“The situation is even more severe in rural areas of Northwest Nigeria,” Mr. Rihood Mohammed said.

“Schools and healthcare facilities, serving large populations daily, can quickly become centres for disease transmission without adequate WASH services.”

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He urged stakeholders to intensify advocacy and investment in WASH infrastructure, stressing that Nigerian children deserve safe and healthy environments to learn, grow, and thrive.