Cool school, Clean latrines
Bayartsogt, 6, a 1st grade student, said, “I like to come to school. I like the colour. Outside yard is nice. I learn Mongolian language and mathematics. I like to learn the letters. It is nice to wash my hands [in the bathroom]. The round hall of school is nice. We dance. We sing a song. We do exercises.”
At a Khovd provincial school, fourth graders approached the dean requesting that the school environment and toilet conditions be improved.
The school has only 2 buildings for 1,250 students, 77 teachers and staff. One building is for secondary students and the other one is for 560 primary students.
The primary school building is very old with just 8 classrooms. The students attend school in two shifts to accommodate everyone; even then, three students sit at one desk.
Primary students had to use an outdoor toilet, which was a problem as winter temperatures reach -35 Celius. The children had to wait outside to queue in the cold.
Additionally, the toilet had no light, and girls and boys had to use the same toilet.
“I looked for help from the government, government organizations, and international organizations to help solve the problem,” said school dean Baldorj. “As a result, from July to September, 2015, World Vision Korea and the Building Trust INGO implemented the “Cool School” project with 95,000 USD building a school extension with 2 classrooms, one hall and indoor toilets, for boys and girls separately.”
The Provincial Education Department provided the school with tables and chairs. The new hall supports child development with art and sport activities.
Normally they have 3 classes of first graders, but with the improved school, they had increased enrolment of 4 classes, allowing them to hire more teachers.
Parent representative Altantsetseg said, “My two children study in the school. School classes and hygiene were not pleasant, but the school’s new building is comfortable for children. It is nice, warm, and clean. The parents are very happy.”
The fridgid landscape of Khovd Province.
Grant Profile
Grant Project Name: Cool school - School building extension project
Funded by: World Vision Korea and Building Trust International
Time frame: 2015
Purpose and Objective: World Vision Korea and Building Trust International Organization implemented the Cool School project during July to September 2015 to improve primary education for children in Khovd Province. The project focused to improve an access and quality of primary education for children aged 6-10 at the primary school, and constructed school extension. It has two classrooms for 160 children in 2 shifts. The students are provided with opportunity to study in clean, warm and child friendly environment in the new building. Sanitation facility issues were solved because school extension has two indoor and standard toilets separated for boys and girls. Four hundred students from the primary school have opportunity to develop themselves and to participate in art activities in “Art Hall” in the school extension.