For every 243 students in various government schools in Bihar, there is only one toilet, hygiene experts said today.

In comparison, 41 students in Kerala and 67 in Haryana use a toilet. The issues were raised at a state-level consultation, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools (WASH), organised by the education department along with Unicef.

“Sanitation, hygiene and cleanliness should be included in school curriculum. Proper sanitation and hygiene in schools cannot be achieved unless students are guided,” said Dr Yameen Mazumdar, the chief of field office, Unicef (Bihar). The officer added that every school should have sanitation funds and the money should be utilised to keep toilets clean and provide soaps and antiseptics.

The experts attending the function felt that high incidence of illness and poor health status was mainly caused by the lack of basic awareness and inappropriate and incorrect practices of health and sanitation.

They added that of the 68,557 elementary schools in the state, 13,960 schools don’t have any toilets.

The school sanitation and hygiene education programme acts as a means to introduce better hygiene practices among children and, through them, to households and communities.

The WASH report stated that over 20 million children going to school in the state are infected with parasitic worms, a chronic problem that affects their health and limits their access to education. It added that worms could cause anaemia, malnourishment and impairment of mental and physical development. Last year, Bihar had made a history of sort by providing 17 million children with de-worming treatment.