FG Seeks Integration of WASH into Tertiary Education Curriculum

By Kuni Tyessi

The federal government has stressed that teaching students of tertiary institutions only the basics of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is not enough, adding that there is need to develop a curriculum and engage in capacity building.

The minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adams, who said this in Abuja during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between WaterAid and the National Water Resources Institute, said the challenge is in not teaching the nitty gritty of rural sanitation in schools.

He disclosed that through such updates in tertiary education curriculum, WASH homes in rural areas will also have the opportunity for basic training on how to manage sanitation, adding that Nigeria is doing badly in the subsector.

“The challenge is far from just teaching students the basics. It is not enough to teach just the basics. There’s need to go to the nitty gritty. There’s need to develop the idea of developing a curriculum and engage in capacity building,” he said.

The Country Director of WaterAid Nigeria, Ms. Evelyn Mere, said the partnership with NWRI will combine the WASH expertise of WaterAid and that of the institute to contribute to bridging knowledge and capacity gaps for the delivery of equitable sustainable total sanitation at scale in Nigeria.

Mere stated that the stark realities in the society is more than enough indication and a status quo that cannot continue, adding that there is need to take urgent action to accelerate Nigeria’s progress or face a worsening crisis with real effects on human lives.

She said apart from developing modules and running certified short courses, the partnership will support and improve sector capacity building for sanitation programme development.

“The partnership will promote learning and capacity building for rural sanitation in Nigeria working through a systems-based approach to embed the principles and approaches to enhance sustainability, equity and scale towards universal access by 2030.

“The stark realities around us is more than enough indication that we simply cannot afford to continue with the status quo. We must take urgent action to accelerate Nigeria’s progress or face a worsening crisis with real effects on human lives,” she added.