Fit for School Initiative for Africa

Purpose

Through improvements in WASH and infection prevention and control in schools the initiative aims to strengthen (pandemic) resilience of educational institutions and schools.

Activities

The Fit for School (F4S) Initiative for Africa is supporting the Ministries of Education and is collaborating with schools and Teacher Training Colleges in selected areas. Under the initiative, readiness assessments for school re-opening and capacity development measures on WASH and infection prevention and control within Ministries of Education (national, sub-national and school level) were conducted. Health, hygiene and immunization promotion campaigns target students and staff both at model schools as well as through social media and Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs) for education staff. For the school level, simple tools and checklists were developed to support implementation of national recommendations and guidelines. Beside activities in the different countries the initiative aims to foster regional learning and knowledge exchange between countries in Asia and Africa and also among the four African countries and beyond.


Activities in Malawi


To ensure maximum outreach and dissemination of information on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in schools, the F4S Initiative for Africa in partnership with GIZ Basic Education Program (Malawi), WaterAid and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) is in the process of synergistically developing a MOOC on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in Schools and colleges for Malawian teachers. The content tool is a self-paced package that will be used by student teachers, lecturers and other partners in education for strengthening capacities in implementing infection prevention and control measures at the TTCs and Teaching Practice Schools. The official launch of the course by the Ministry of Education is on 24th January 2023. The course will be made publicly available to learners on Atingi. Materials to guide the implementation on school level, like posters and checklists have also been developed together with other information and education materials and activities to increase knowledge and awareness. Further, Handwashing facilities, water pumps and water filters have been provided in TTCs. The activities are targeting more than 5000 student teachers who will be sent to almost 800 primary teaching practice schools as part of their training.


Activities in South Sudan

The project targets pupils and teachers in 12 schools in Torit and Yambio. In collaboration with the German Weltungerhilfe, the F4S Initiative for Africa introduced principles for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (PPR) through improvements in WASH conditions in schools as a precondition for children’s wellbeing during and beyond the pandemic. This is being realized through training teachers and other school-based management on PPR. Further, Weltungerhilfe together with GIZ developed IEC materials and checklists adjusted to the context of South Sudan, which were distributed among staff and students in the schools. A manual on PPR with implementation guidelines for school level was developed. The project is as well supporting vaccination campaigns through radio programs and social activities.


Activities in Zambia

In 2022, in collaboration with the Natural Resources Stewardship (NatuReS) program, F4S Initiative for Africa is implementing its activities under the Safe Back to School Campaign in Lusaka, Zambia. The activities support the Republic of Zambia’s Ministry of Education and the Lusaka City Council to sustain interventions for pandemic preparedness and response in the education sector. More information about this partnership is available here. Together with WaterAid Zambia as an implementing partner, the activities build on previous collaborations with WaterAid and support 20 additional model schools under the broader umbrella of the Safe Back to School (SB2S) under the Green Schools Partnership Programme. The collaboration will furthermore focus on integrating a monitoring system in government partner structures. These activities contribute to improved and safe learning environments in schools by enhancing the capacity of schools and other levels of the education sector (e.g., city level) to sustainably implement, monitor and manage WASH in schools and infection prevention and control measures.

Images

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F4S logo

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Malawi Washing Hands at a WASHaLOT in a school in Malawi 

© • GIZ • GIZ

South Sudan - Students standing in front of a Poster reminding to Maintain Space

© • GIZ • GIZ

The Fit for School Africa Partner Countries at the regional Fit For School Conference in Bangkok (November 2022)

Countries of activity

Location of main activity

Filter tags

Health and hygiene Public awareness, advocacy and civil society engagement Schools Specific to one or several countries Sub-Saharan Africa WASH and nutrition

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