Simple but Important, Children Are Taught to Wash Their Hands from an Early Age

Children in West Sumbawa are taught clean and healthy living habits from an early age.

KOMPAS/PRADIPTA PANDU MUSTIKA

Holistic Integrated Early Childhood Education (PAUD-HI) students at Mulya in West Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Thursday (5/2/2024), are applying a clean and healthy lifestyle by always washing their hands with soap.

TALIWANG, KOMPAS - Behaviors such as washing hands with soap and throwing away trash in its place are very important to be taught to children from an early age. This clean and healthy lifestyle will continue to stick with them into adulthood, allowing them to prevent the spread of various diseases or other health problems.

Awareness about the importance of clean and healthy living behavior is demonstrated by children at the Mulya Holistic Integrative Early Childhood Education (PAUD-HI) level in Taliwang District, West Sumbawa Regency, Nusa West Southeast (NTB). This clean and healthy lifestyle is taught to all classes from the 3-6 year age group.

Head of PAUD HI Mulya, Mulyatini, stated that PAUD HI Mulya teaches clean and healthy lifestyles, due to the habit of students not washing their hands right after eating or playing. This teaching has been further enhanced since Sumbawa Barat became a model of community-based total sanitation (STBM) implementation.

High commitment from the local government in improving public health with a clean lifestyle.

"The importance of teaching clean and healthy lifestyle habits to children from an early age cannot be overstated. This activity is also apparently implemented by students in their homes," he said when receiving a visit from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) team in West Sumbawa on Thursday (May 2, 2024).

There are three main things that PAUD HI Mulya teaches to students, namely that they should use the bathroom for defecation, wash their hands after eating, and clean up food waste independently.

KOMPAS/PRADIPTA PANDU MUSTIKA

Holistic Integrated Early Childhood Education (PAUD-HI) students at Mulya in West Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Thursday (5/2/2024), are applying a clean and healthy lifestyle by always washing their hands with soap.

In order for students to be able to practice these important things, early childhood education (PAUD) provides and increases facilities such as sinks and trash cans. Then, a number of faucets and hand washing facilities are also provided in the front yard of the school.

In addition, the teachers also lead exercises or hand washing movements with soap and interactive games such as a giant snake and ladder. In the game of giant snake and ladder, there are boxes containing instructions related to clean and healthy living patterns that must be directly practiced if the student stands on the box.

Mulyatini stated that the role of teachers is crucial in teaching clean and healthy lifestyles to PAUD students. This habit will be easy to imitate and apply if the teachers always give patient and agile explanations as well as direct examples to the students.

Also read: More than 1 Million People Have Access to Drinking Water and Sanitation

The understanding of cleanliness is also conveyed to the parents of students. During the student farewell event, parents have started to understand environmental cleanliness, one of which is by picking up trash independently.

Ni Putu Karnitani, a parent of a student at PAUD HI Mulya, has directly experienced the impact of teaching about clean and healthy living patterns given by teachers. The child applies this clean and healthy living pattern at home, such as washing hands with soap and cleaning and organizing their toys.

KOMPAS/PRADIPTA PANDU MUSTIKA

Holistic Integrative Early Childhood Education (PAUD-HI) students at Mulya in West Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, on Thursday (2/5/2024), played an interactive game of giant snakes and ladders. Several boxes in this game contained commands related to clean and healthy lifestyle patterns that must be practiced directly by the students.

"Nowadays, children are also aware and often ask me to clean their nails and ears regularly. Therefore, parents will continue to support and participate when schools hold activities related to STBM," she said.

Support from a number of parties

UNICEF's WASH Officer at the NTT-NTB Representative Office, Rostia La Ode Pado, said that UNICEF provides support to a number of regions, including West Sumbawa, for behavioral changes related to healthy lifestyles. The program is not only focused on early childhood education (PAUD) but also on the general public.

The program from UNICEF in West Sumbawa was first implemented in 2019 to accelerate the implementation of STBM and safe sanitation. One of the factors in choosing West Sumbawa as the location is the high commitment of the local government to improving public health with a clean lifestyle.

Also read: Improve Access to Drinking Water and Sanitation for the Community

West Sumbawa was certified as open defecation free (ODF) in 2017 and was certified as an STBM district in 2021. All households in West Sumbawa use better sanitation facilities with standard septic tanks and adopt other hygiene practices.

"We continue to advocate and provide education to various parties, including village governments, so that a portion of village funds can be allocated to improving cleanliness and sanitation," he said.