Parents have been urged to ensure proper hand washing practices for their children to help promote good health and enable children to stay in school.

Reverend Matthew Amoasi, Water Safety Specialist with the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) in the Western Region, has therefore kicked against the practice where schools, homes and public places always placed a bucket or bowl of water and all individuals dipped their hands in it.

He said such practice promoted the spread of dirt, germs and other bacteria that compromised the immunity of children in particular and make them susceptible to diseases that affected their growth and living.

Rev Amoasi told the Ghana News Agency during a demonstration of clean hand washing practices with school children from Agona Nkwanta to mark Global Hand washing Day in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region.

The day, is set aside to expose school children in particular to proper hand washing techniques to contribute to the oral health and ensure improved health for them as they stayed in school longer and also advance their academics.

Ms Benedicta Sika Yeboah, the Head Mistress of the Agona Model Basic School noted that the practice had contributed to the social and health benefit of the children over the years.

He was grateful to CWSA for the education and prayed that the children would continue to engage in proper hand washing to prevent diseases.