Ensuring environmental sanitation quality standards and its implication on students’ health

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to ensure environmental sanitation quality standards and its implication on the students’ health. The study adopted qualitative methodology which employed a Case study design. It was done at Offinso College of Education in Ashanti region of Ghana. The research paradigm used for the study was the interpretivism approach. It has two assumptions: relativist ontology and transactional or subjectivist epistemology. Four research questions guided the study. Instruments used for gathering the data for the study were questionnaire and interview guide. The population for the study was 635 students in the five departments of the college, they were Science, Mathematics, Social sciences, Languages and Home economics. Non- stratified random sampling technique was used to select 150 students comprising 30 students each from the five departments in the college. The instrument adopted for the study consisted of 30-item questionnaire to elicit information from the respondents. The questionnaire was validated by three experts. Cronbach alpha was used to determine the reliability of the instrument which yielded 0.76 coefficient. The data collected was analysed. The study found among others that the causes of poor sanitation were inadequate hygiene education, neglect of health facilities, insufficient water supply, inadequate fund to provide sanitation equipment and poor waste storage method. To ensure efficiency in the promoting quality environmental sanitation standards, the study recommends that the government at all levels should provide the necessary funds needed by the school management to ensure the procurement of various facilities/equipment needed for students to live in a hygienic environment.