District Director of Education Calls for Stronger Sanitation Systems to Safeguard Learning in Ekumfi

Ms. Kafui Mary Ahlijah, Director of Education - Ekumfi District 

The District Director of Education for Ekumfi, Ms Kafui Mary Ahlijah, has called for urgent community action to improve sanitation infrastructure in schools and households, stressing that poor hygiene directly affects children’s health, school attendance and academic performance. She made this appeal at the 2025 World Toilet Day celebration held on Wednesday, 19th November 2025, at Ekumfi Engow, on the theme “Sanitation in a Changing World.”

Addressing pupils, teachers, parents and traditional leaders, Ms Ahlijah noted that many rural schools continue to struggle with inadequate toilet facilities, lack of privacy for girls, and unhygienic surroundings that expose pupils to diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid. “We cannot expect our children to learn well when the school environment itself threatens their health,” she cautioned.

She emphasised that proper sanitation is not merely a development goal but a fundamental requirement for quality education. According to her, open defecation and improper waste disposal remain widespread in some communities within the district, posing serious health risks and undermining gains made in Basic Education.

Ms. Kafui Mary Ahlijah appealed to chiefs, opinion leaders and households to take full responsibility for the construction, use and maintenance of toilet facilities, warning that unsanitary conditions contribute heavily to absenteeism among pupils.

She was particularly concerned about the gender-sensitive sanitation gap, highlighting that girls are often the most affected. “No girl should have to miss school because she cannot manage her period safely and privately,” she said.

She therefore encouraged schools and parents to teach children proper toilet hygiene and menstrual health habits, reinforcing that education begins from home.

Her remarks aligned strongly with the call by stakeholders for improved sanitation as a driver of rural development. Nana Esi Ninsin VIII had earlier appealed for support to renovate the Amorkhor Art Haus and establish modern sanitation and changing facilities for girls. Mrs Emma Asare, founder of RADCO, also underscored the significant role sanitation plays in the dignity and retention of the Girl-Child in school.

The event was supported by the Sankofa Care Initiative, which educated pupils on personal and menstrual hygiene and distributed Smart Sanitary Kits. Global Brigades also contributed sanitary pads to assist girls from participating schools, which included Engow Methodist Basic School, Eyisam Islamic Basic School and Begrat Preparatory School.

Ms Ahlijah concluded her address by urging all stakeholders; government, traditional authorities, parents and community groups, to commit to the long-term maintenance of sanitation facilities. “Sanitation must become a shared responsibility if we want our children to grow in health, confidence and dignity,” she said.

By: Yusuf Ibrahim Dadzie

“Rural Development Rests on Education and Sanitation” — Mrs Emma Asare Advocates at World Toilet Day Celebration

Stakeholders in the Ekumfi District have marked this year’s World Toilet Day with a powerful call for improved sanitation, menstrual health support and strong investment in rural education. The event was held on Wednesday, 19th November 2025, at Ekumfi Engow under the theme “Sanitation in a Changing World.”

Delivering the keynote address, Mrs Emma Asare, Founder of the Rural and Deprived Community Outreach (RADCO), underscored the importance of sanitation as a fundamental human right. She stressed that the unequal distribution of sanitation facilities between urban and rural areas continues to affect national development.

She stated that: “If we truly want our rural communities to rise, then we must rise to meet their needs. Rural development rests firmly on two pillars: education that enlightens the mind, and sanitation that protects the body.”

Mrs Asare highlighted that poor toilet facilities in schools worsen absenteeism among girls, particularly during menstruation. Sharing a painful childhood experience, she explained how shame, lack of pads and misunderstanding from male teachers once made her school life unbearable.

She called for subsidised or free sanitary pads, improved menstrual education for boys and male teachers, and the construction of gender-sensitive toilets in rural schools.

Adding her voice, Nana Esi Ninsin VIII, Nyimfahembaa of Ekumfi Traditional Area, appealed for partnerships to support her sanitary pads donation drive and the renovation of the Amorkhor Art Haus Training Centre. She noted that ending menstrual poverty is crucial to keeping girls in school and protecting their dignity.

The District Director of Education, Ms Kafui Mary Ahlijah, also emphasised the link between sanitation and academic performance. She pointed out that cholera, dysentery and other sanitation-related diseases remain common in communities without proper toilet facilities, urging chiefs and community leaders to take responsibility for maintaining hygienic environments.

NGOs such as the Sankofa Care Initiative and Global Brigades supported the event with menstrual hygiene education, Smart Sanitary Kits and donations of sanitary pads.

The celebration concluded with a unified appeal for stronger partnerships to end menstrual poverty, eliminate open defecation and ensure that rural girls can learn in safety and dignity.

By: Yusuf Ibrahim Dadzie