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Hygiene and safety in preschool education units in Alexandroupolis (Master thesis)

Παπαδόπουλος, Νικόλαος/ Papadopoulos, Nikolaos

Early childhood education is critical in the early phases of a child's educational journey, considerably impacting their entire development. Particularly important for supporting the well-being of both children and instructors are the health and safety conditions inside educational contexts, particularly in preschool education settings. The purpose of this research is to describe the health and safety circumstances that exist in public preschool education in Alexandroupolis. The research, which was carried out using a structured questionnaire distributed throughout 20 public kindergartens in the city, involved 115 fourth-year students from the Department of Preschool Education Sciences at Democritus University of Thrace. The questionnaire was based on the School Buildings Agency's safety criteria for preventing accidents on school grounds. The questionnaire was based on the safety standards established by the School Buildings Agency to prevent accidents on school premises. Utilizing absolute and relative frequencies (%), along with presenting Likert-type questions through mean values and standard deviations, the research revealed that the majority of kindergartens in Alexandroupolis maintain satisfactory health and safety conditions, with adherence to most safety regulations. Notably, 55% of alternative commercial premises were converted into educational spaces. The findings provide important insights on the infrastructure (classrooms, sanitary facilities), equipment (educational, recreational), and courtyard areas (educational, play items) of Alexandroupolis preschool education units. Recommendations include improving cleanliness and safety conditions, particularly in areas that were originally built for other uses, as well as changing building structures to reduce dangers for children who use these facilities.