Creating Healthy and Safe Schools Requires High Hygiene Standards

Contributed by Danna Hewick, Vice President of Growth Group EULEN

Keeping a clean and well-maintained school environment was not only a COVID thing. Now that COVID cases are on the rise again, flu and RSV waves wavering throughout the year, it´s clear that preserving our schools’ cleanliness plays a crucial role in promoting the health, safety, and overall well-being of students, teachers, and staff. Grupo EULEN, specializing in facility services, explains there are other critical reasons why having a hygienic educational setting is vital; among the more relevant are the reduction of absenteeism and its positive impact on academic performance and mental health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children in the United States miss millions of school days each year due to illness; furthermore, they state that students lose nearly 22 million school days annually due to a common cold and 38 million days due to influenza. 

“Proper sanitization and cleaning of school facilities can significantly reduce the transmission of infectious diseases like flu, colds, and gastrointestinal infections,” says Danna Hewick, Vice President of Growth EULEN Group. 

An American Journal of Infection Control study found that schools implementing a cleaning routine witnessed a 50 percent decrease in absenteeism rates among students and staff.

A clean and organized learning environment positively influences students' academic performance. A clutter-free and clean space allows students to focus better, leading to improved cognitive abilities and learning outcomes. Researchers from the Journal of School Health found that well-maintained classrooms were associated with higher test scores and increased student engagement.

“A sick child cannot learn and an ill teacher cannot teach; the importance of keeping schools clean cannot be overstated. Well-maintained and clean educational premises create a more effective learning and teaching environment,” Hewick adds. 

Studies in the Journal of Environmental Psychology suggest that a visually appealing space can reduce stress levels and enhance students' well-being, leading to a happier and more focused learning experience.

As we strive for educational excellence and mental health improvement, let us remember that building a sustainable cleaning practice is an essential step in creating a conducive learning environment; and that a clean school is not just a necessity but an investment in our children's future.