We love hearing about schools that go above and beyond to help students build positive lifelong hygiene habits.
The Panchayat Union Primary School Gudapakkam in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu has really made the Hygiene with Chhota Bheem curriculum their own!
After participating in our project’s pilot study in April 2018, teachers from the school advocated for the handwashing steps to be painted on the walls right above the handwashing station. Students felt motivated to wash their hands and reported a drastic change in handwashing habits!
“The way the Hygiene with Chhota Bheem training was given to us using the videos and games were very helpful!”
The Headmistress and the teachers have played a key role in promoting hygiene practices among their students and the larger community. Unlike at school, children may not have easy access to sanitation infrastructure or to address their concerns about hygiene practices at home. As a first level of communication, the school educated the parents on the importance of using toilets and washing hands with soap thereby making it easier for students to have an open discussion about their concerns with their parents.
In addition to this, the school also conducts Balar Sabhai, a weekly programme to educate students on various topics which includes health and hygiene. During this programme, the teachers ensure that their students sing the handwashing and toilet use spells from the Hygiene with Chhota Bheem curriculum. Ms. Senthilkumari, the teacher who represented this school during the teacher training for the program, proudly reported that the school was awarded as one of the best schools by the Swachh Bharat mission due to their persistence.
Today, these students are advocates of good hygiene practices in their community as they disseminate the practice and methods followed in their school. We're proud to see this school play a role in supporting this important mission!
Taking inspiration from the inspiring teachers and Headmistress of the Panchayat Union Primary School, Tiruvallur, the Hygiene with Chhota Bheem learning toolkit now comes with downloadable posters of the hand washing and toilet use steps. These posters along with other engaging resources can be downloaded free of cost from the Resources Page of our website.
