Assessment of Environmental Hygiene Conditions among Students and Teachers in Public Secondary Schools in Cross River State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2026.15.04.9Keywords:
Water, sanitation, hygiene, environmental hygiene conditions, students, teachers, public secondary schoolsAbstract
Background: Lack of access to adequate water, sanitation and hygiene in schools in developing countries is a global problem. Such a lack has been proven to enhance serious health and psychological risks associated with poor toilet hygiene in schools, particularly for vulnerable groups such as students with disabilities, bladder conditions, and teachers. In Cross River State, WASH was introduced to mitigate illness, absenteeism, and long-term health issues stemming from inadequate sanitation, yet there appears to be a lack of empirical data assessing whether the initiative has effectively addressed these concerns.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the hygiene conditions among students and teachers in public secondary schools in Cross River State.
Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design to assess environmental hygiene conditions, hygiene knowledge, and hygiene practices among students and teachers in public secondary schools. Using a questionnaire, data were collected and analysed accordingly.
Results: Results showed poor environmental hygiene conditions (students: M = 2.19; teachers: M = 2.42), high hygiene knowledge (students: M = 3.28; teachers: M = 3.62), and low-to-moderate hygiene practices (students: M = 2.45; teachers: M = 2.94).
Conclusions: Poor environmental hygiene conditions may increase students’ vulnerability to infection, absenteeism, and reduced learning engagement. The action required is to ensure that the much-needed sanitation and hygiene facilities are provided in secondary schools and that the environment is conducive to teaching and learning. Lastly, this work has the potential to make important contributions to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
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