WASH for Schools in South Asia
Published on by Syeda Aniqa Gul, worked in Non Govt organization - Coordinating officer (Hygiene Promotion & office administration)
WASH for School Children
WASH in Schools (Water, sanitation and hygiene promotion in schools), supports global efforts
To realize our vision of a world where all children go to schools that provide a safe, healthy and
Comfortable environment where children grow, learn and thrive. WASH in Schools improves
Attendance, health and cognitive development, increases girls' participation, establishes positive
Hygiene behaviors, offers the opportunity to introduce better WASH practices in families and
Communities.
WASH in Schools in South Asian Countries
WASH in Schools information is presented for the eight countries in the South Asia region: Afghanistan Bangladesh, Bhutan, India Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.Information on WASH in Schools policies, coverage, strategies, conditions, standards, hygiene education, etc. has been presented for each country individually
TOTAL POPULATION OF SOUTH ASIA IS 1.53 BILLION
Maldives 0.02% |
POPULATION DISTRIBUTION IN %
Bhutan 0.03% |
Srilanka 1.3% |
Nepal 1.5 % |
Afghanistan 2 % |
Bangladesh 8% |
Pakistan 9.5 % |
India 78% of the total population |
WASH in Schools in South Asian Countries
Country | Total Population | % of Children under 18 | Total No of Public School | WASH conditions | National Standard for WASH | Action Plan |
Afg hanis tan | 31.4 million | 53% of the total population | 13,488 schools out of which 80% schools are in rural areas | Toilet Facilities : 95% schools do not have separate toilet facilities for Girls and Boys Most of the schools provides single sex education. | Toilet facilities : No data available currently. Ministry of education has designed standerd for school toilets which will be introduced soon. Drinking water: 1 litre water per student per day |
guideline on menstrual hygiene and health for trainers and supervisors and a supplementary guidebook on hygiene practices |
Bangladesh | 148.6 million | 37% of the total population | 78,685 schools out of which 60,957 are Govt supported | Toilets : 1 toilet for 130 students. Soaps for Hand washing practices: Only 17% school provide soaps and 6% children wash hands with Soaps. | Toilets for children : 1 for 50 children. Toilets for female teachers :1 for 10 female Toilets for male teachers 1 for 10 male teachers Drinking water : 5 liter water per student per day. |
National plan and budget allocations for WASH activities in schools. The Govt will implement WASH program in schools in collaboration with UN agencies, NGO. INGO's and civil societies.
UNICEF and save the children developed and distributed Guide books, training modules, flip charts, flash cards ,games, cartoons etc . Hygiene education and related subjects are not included in school curriculum.
School hygienebrigade have been formed In 35 Schools initially at capital Dhaka. There are 20-25 students in a brigade with 2teachers (1 male and 1 female) as brigade leader. From each class 3-4 students are selected to from the brigade. The brigade has been formed with some specific objectives as to increase the promotional knowledge on safe water, sanitation and hygiene among the students and to inspire them changing their Conventional behavior Hand-washing with soap is the most useful and low-cost means to prevent diarrheal and acute respiratory infections. |
Bhutan | 726,000 | 35% of the total population | 617 schools and 207 registered monastic schools | No data on availability of soaps, toilets or hygiene management available it is assumed that only 70% of existing WASH facilities are functional | No standards and Norms designed for WASH facilities.Govt aims to provide. Toilets : 1 for 25 girls and 1 toilet for 50 boys. Drinking water :1 liter per student per day |
After piloting Child Friendly Schools from 2005 to 2009, MOE introduced the ‘ Education for Gross National Happiness' concept. This has much in common with Child Friendly Schools, including the ‘Green Schools for Green Bhutan' approach, with adequate functional toilets for boys, girls and staff, as well as safe drinking water. Children trained with hygiene practices other aspects that equip them with knowledge and skills related to WASH.
School health club includes one hygiene captain from students and health coordinator from teachers which creates hygiene awareness, regular cleanliness checkups in collaboration with health centers. |
India | 1.2 billion | 36 % of the total population | 13.2 lac | Some 27.6 million children, 15% of the children Enrolled in schools in India, still do not have safe Drinking water and sanitation in their schools. Water supply functioning facilities are in very poor condition needs improvement and also there is also urgent need of installation of new WASH facilities. | Toilets for children: Girls toilets : 1 toilet unit of one toilet plus 3-4 urinals for 80-120 girls. Boys toilets: 1toilet unit of one toilet plus 3-4 urinals for 80-120 boys. Drinking water: Drinking water source within the school premises. |
Their mothers.
Inclusiveness.
Anganwadi (Pre-School) centers.
|
Maldives | 316,000 | 33.5% of the total population | 218 public schools out of which 193 are in rural areas | Half to two-thirds of schools have hand Washing facilities available. 50-60 % have soap available For hand washing. Two third of schools reported cleaning their toilets by staff. Water supply schemes are mostly damaged which need extensive repairs. Poorly designed school infrastructure and lack of trained staff for hygiene education. | Girls Toilet :1 for 50 girls Boys Toilet :1 for 50 boys Drinking Water :2 litres water per student per day. One washing stand for 50 students |
The Health Promoting Schools initiative (HPSI) was launched in 2004 and piloted in select schools in Male, the capital of The Maldives mainstreaming health into education. Policy decision to include HPSI concepts into quality indicators of CFBS Child-
As a move towards mainstreaming school health into the education System. The proportion of primary schools with at least basic water supply and sanitation for boys and girls is the highest among the countries in south Asia
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Nepal | 29.9 million | 43% of the total population | 27,174 schools | 36% of schools have separate toilets for girls. Often, toilet blocks are not maintained For girls. This is mostly because schools lack the skills and budget for operation and maintenance Of their facilities and also they donot have adequate facilities for hand washing. . | New Child gender- and disability-friendly designs for WASH in Schools have been introduced that meet the minimum standards. Toilet for Girls: 1 for 50 girls. Toilet for Boys: 1 for 50 boys. Drinking water and hand washing source : A tap with potable water within school premises, a water filter in every classroom and a hand washing station with soap |
In 2010, Ministry of education approved the establishment of a WASH working group during The MOE Joint Annual Review. This working group comprises representatives from various sections of the Department of Education and development Partners. The working group's objectives are to support investment for WASH in Schools through the current Educational system. The Government of Nepal allocated a budget of US$15 million to construct nationwide 5,500 girl-friendly toilets, an indication of the Government's commitment to WASH in schools and gender Equity.
Nepal has pioneered School-Led Total Sanitation (SLTS), which has shown that WASH in Schools can benefit surrounding Communities also. Children are the change agents in the SLTS approach. |
Pakistan | 173.5 million | 42.1% of the total population | 124,385 primary schools | About 74 % of girls and 48 % boys in primary schools have adequate toilets and 81% of girls and 75 % of boys at primary schools have access To drinking water. There is an increase ratio of water borne diseases every day, some 670,000 children miss school due to illnesses that are mostly water-borne | There is neither a National Plan of Action nor a national Budget allocation for WASH. Ministry of education has however designed guidelines for WASH in school infrastructure Toilet for Girls : 1 for 25 Toilets for Boys : 1 for 50 boys. Toilets for teachers : 1 toilet for teachers separate for male and female. Drinking water: 5 liters of water per pupil per day and one cooler covered water container in each class room |
parents and the community working together to promote good hygiene Practices.
Management Information System (NEMIS) It is functional, managed By the Department of Water and Education. And reflects Sanitation coverage in four Provinces. WASH for schools data is used in planning for the provision of WASH facilities in schools |
Srilanka | 20.86 million | 29.5% of the total population | 9662 Govt Schools | There is no information regarding functionality or rehabilitation Needs of facilities. Inadequate water supply sources and drinking water sources at various schools which needs improvement. | National standard for WAS in schools are Toilets for children : 1 toilet for 50-90 girls and boys separate facilities. Toilet for teachers : 2-5 toilets depending upon the number of teachers. | Internal proposal for WASH facilities in School : In 2010 Ministry of Education developed an internal proposal to ensure that all schools would have functional WASH in Schools facilities within three years, for provision of safe drinking water expanding and upgrading toilets in schools with inadequate toilets and and running skills based health education. Schools do receive a dedicated annual budget allocation for WASH in Schools operation, Repair and maintenance. School Safety Health Promotion: Health and hygiene promotion includes national, Provincial and zonal Health Promotion Committees. Each school has an advisory committee on health promotion and a student health promotion club, responsible for preparing and implementing an annual school health promotion planSHPP brought WASH under the broader perspective of health, focusing on overall physical and emotional well-being of The child. SHPP is based on knowledge and behavior Promotion rather than traditional teaching. |