Thousands of students across India test groundwater for fluoride on March 22, 2012

Leading up to World Water Day on March 22nd 2012, Schools Water Portal partnered with Oracle Education Foundation in a Water Quality Testing Programme with schools across India to spread awareness on fluoride contamination in groundwater.

The programme was conducted with 1,339 schools from places as far reaching as Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and Delhi Public School both participated, as well as other schools from across the country. 

A fluoride testing kit was sent to each school, and instructions on using the kit, collecting groundwater samples and testing for fluoride were put up on Schools Water Portal. Teachers could also access learning resources like presentations and fact sheets on fluoride and fluorosis on Schools Water Portal, which they used in class to complement the practical water testing exercise. Teachers submitted the results of the testing through a simple online form, enabling easy, decentralised data collection. See the programme page here.

Figure 1: Fluoride Testing Kit

Figure 2: Schools Water Portal home page

Figure 3: Kendriya Vidyalaya Ujjain, Bhopal                          Figure 4: Government High School, Bangalore

Figure 5: Students performing skit on fluoride                            Figure 6: Delhi Public School, New Delhi

Figure 7: Facebook Group home page

Figure 8: Photos and videos contributed by teachers and students on Facebook

Figure 9: Map