The DepEd WASH in Schools (WinS) Policy

The WinS Policy or DepEd Order No. 10, s. 2016 titled Policy and Guidelines for the Comprehensive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools (WinS) Program was issued 19 February, 2016. It was presented by Secretary Armin Luistro at the 2016 Presidential Conference of WASH in Schools in Pasay City on the 18th of March 2016.

The Wash in Schools policy puts all of the above programs, which have been undertaken separately for years, under one roof. Along with these, D.O. No. 10 also introduces Menstrual Hygiene Management(MHM) – a new component of the Wash in Schools hygiene program. MHM promotes the right of girl children to safe and dignified management of menstruation using hygienic materials, aided by clean and adequate water supply, with safe and private spaces for personal hygiene concerns and sanitary pad disposal. MHM seeks to raise public awareness and provide correct information as well as empower girl-schoolchildren in managing their menstruation, which is an essential part of reproductive health. MHM, together with the installation of separate toilets for boys and girls, ultimately seeks to raise awareness of and promote gender equality among schoolchildren.

Key Components of WASH in Schools

The DepED WASH in Schools Program has eight (8) components, namely:

  1. Oral hygiene and proper handwashing;

  2. Provision of safe and adequate water supply;

  3. Provision of toilet, handwashing, and drainage facilities;

  4. Environmental sanitation (including the elimination of breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus) and solid waste management;

  5. Food sanitation;

  6. Menstrual Hygiene Management;

  7. Deworming; and

  8. Hygiene and sanitation education