More than 7800 nursery, primary and secondary school students from 70 schools in eight regions of Peru have been trained in sanitation assessment, thanks to the national Agua Clases initiative promoted by the Technical Organisation for the Administration of Sanitation Services (OTASS).
This national sanitation education initiative, which began in March and was implemented until December 2024, aims to raise awareness among the school population about the importance of caring for drinking water and sanitation, turning students into “aquaprotectors” and agents of change. OTASS Executive Director Luis Contreras Bonilla said:
“Agua Clases is key to ensuring social welfare, economic growth and the preservation of water resources, helping to improve the quality of life for thousands of Peruvians. Its impact goes beyond the classroom, as the knowledge acquired by students is passed on to their families and communities, fostering greater social commitment to water stewardship.”
Better quality of life
This is the third edition of Agua Clases to be held in the country’s national schools. The initiative is part of the National Sanitation Policy promoted by the Ministry of Housing (MVCS), whose Objective 6 establishes the importance of developing a civic culture that values drinking water and sanitation services.
In addition, the OTASS Social Management and Communication Office, which was responsible for designing the initiative, coordinated with the employees of the water companies Emapisco, Emapa Cañete, EPS Sedaloreto, Seda Huánuco, EPS Semapach, EPS Barranca, EPS Ilo, Emapacopsa, Epsel and Emusap, who ensured the progressive implementation of this campaign in coordination with the regional education managers in each of their regions.
With Agua Clases, students learn through the distribution of audiovisual educational material, consisting of nine videos of 11 minutes each, designed to reinforce knowledge in subjects such as science, technology and the environment, among others. While primary school children learn how water is made drinkable, adolescents and young people in secondary school learn more about the sanitation pathway and the good practices that all households should adopt to achieve value for money.
Through this effort, OTASS, a body attached to the MVCS, reaffirms its commitment to improving drinking water and sanitation by providing technical and financial assistance to municipal EPSs with the aim of improving the services they provide to the population.
