Vice Chairperson of the Junior National Council (JNC) Loini Nangolo has called on the government to invest and upgrade water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure at schools and provide adequate funding for maintenance.

“We recommend that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports and Arts, Culture and relevant local authorities, prioritise the development and upgrading of climate-resilient water infrastructure in schools and vulnerable communities, including reliable water supply systems, boreholes where appropriate, rainwater harvesting, water storage facilities and the alternative water sources.”

JNC MP of the Oshana Region Shikongeni Frans further urged the government to ensure that all schools have proper sanitation facilities.

“We recommend that the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform and the Ministry of Health and Social Services, ensure that all schools have sufficient, safe, accessible and functional sanitation in hand-washing facilities.”

The council also recommended that WASH standards be incorporated into school infrastructure planning with regular inspections to ensure that facilities remain operational and properly maintained.