Assessment of Environmental Health Hazards in Schools in Selected Local Government Areas of Cross River State

School environmental health is a critical determinant of pupil wellbeing, learning outcomes, and the broader community health of the school-age population. This study assesses environmental health hazards in primary and junior secondary schools in selected local government areas of Cross River State, South South Nigeria. A descriptive observational design was adopted, with structured environmental health inspection checklists applied across 28 schools in four local government areas. Inspection parameters covered water supply, toilet and hand-washing facilities, waste disposal, classroom ventilation and lighting, school compound cleanliness, food vendor hygiene, and proximity to industrial or traffic-related pollution sources. Data were supplemented by questionnaires administered to head teachers and health education teachers. Findings reveal that safe pipe-borne water supply is available in only 19 percent of sampled schools, with the majority relying on unprotected wells or surface water sources. Toilet-to-student ratios far exceed recommended limits in 82 percent of schools, and hand-washing facilities are absent or non-functional in 76 percent. Open waste dumping within school compounds is observed in 54 percent of sites. Ventilation and lighting standards are met in fewer than half of inspected classrooms. Recommendations include urgent government investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, community mobilisation for school environmental improvement, and inclusion of school environmental health in the Cross River State Education Sector plan. Keywords: environmental health, school hazards, Cross River State, sanitation, water supply