All schools across Fiji have agreed to meet minimum water and hygiene standards within the next two years to stamp out preventable illnesses like diarrhoea.
The WASH initiative was developed by Fiji's Ministry of Education and UNICEF to better water and hygiene standards in schools across the country.
The Pacific Representative for UNICEF, Dr Isiye Ndombi, says several unhygienic schools have caused diarrhoea and other diseases in students, which gets passed on to the community.
Dr Ndombi says students have responded well to WASH so far.
"If they internalise the practice of using toilets, using safe water, and practising good hygience, when they grow up to be adults they will ensure that their own families meet those standards."
Dr Isiye Ndombi says all schools will agree to WASH standards by November that they're prepared to meet by the end of 2014.
