Almost one in three schools in the world lacks access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation, according to a statement by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Students learn better in safe and healthy schools, said UNESCO Director Audrey Azoulay.

However, many schools still lack the necessary facilities for student health, she said. That is why UNESCO appeals to the international community to support countries that cannot provide such conditions. According to the data, almost 584 million children currently have only limited or no access to clean drinking water and sanitation. About 40 percent of them live in sub-Saharan Africa.

UNESCO states that measures for the health and nutrition of students lead to children coming to school more often and staying there. Regular school meals alone have already increased the school enrollment rate by 9 percent.