A qualitative assessment of disability friendly water and sanitation facilities in primary schools, Rumphi, Malawi

Background: Schools should ensure a healthy learning environment by providing safe water, adequate toilet and hand-washing facilities, and waste disposal systems while promoting hygiene practices. Without these, illnesses like diarrhea and helminth infections increase, impacting attendance and academic performance. Methods and Objectives: Based on the report from the Center for Hygiene and Medical Ecology of the Institute of Public Health of Sabac, we analyzed Primary School WASH facilities in the Mačva District from 2014 to 2023. The study aims to assess the condition and quality of sanitary and hygiene facilities in schools, identify key problems, and propose measures to improve these conditions to enhance student health and well-being. Results: Our analysis reveals several key trends and significant improvements in Primary School WASH facilities in the Mačva District from 2014 to 2023. Reliance on local water supply and private wells consistently decreased, with notable annual decreases in 2018 (-4.98%) and 2019 (-4.90%) (R²=0.9052). Conversely, central water supply steadily increased, particularly in 2018 (+8.22%) and 2019 (+7.11%) (R²=0.9052). The installation of central sewage systems slightly increased, with the highest growth in 2016 (+3.79%) and 2019 (+2.17%) (R²=0.873). The presence of septic tanks consistently increased, especially in 2017 (+5.68%) and 2020 (+7.86%) (R²=0.9134). Primary schools without septic tanks significantly decreased, with notable declines in 2016 (-33.33%) and 2020 (-75.90%) (R²=0.9124). The availability of sanitary facilities consistently improved, with significant increases in 2020 (+8.19%) and 2021 (+1.04%) (R²=0.9558). Conversely, schools lacking sanitary facilities dramatically decreased, especially in 2020 (-66.97%) and 2021 (-27.78%) (R²=0.9558). Conclusions: These findings indicate substantial progress in improving WASH facilities in primary schools within the Mačva District from 2014 to 2023. Improvements in central water supply and sanitary facilities reflect successful interventions enhancing student health and well-being. The reduction in schools without adequate sanitation underscores the effectiveness of efforts to provide a healthier learning environment.

Access to water and sanitation facilities in primary schools: A neglected educational crisis in Ngamiland district in Botswana

The importance of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities in school cannot be ignored in protecting children from communicable diseases. However, reports from UNICEF suggest that there is a lack of adequate WASH facilities and a dearth of adequate data on available facilities, particularly from developing countries. The present study sought to address this gap and build on the evidence-base of school hygiene and sanitation facilities in rural India. The study also assessed the association between available facilities and the handwashing behavior of students. Data were collected from 28 schools using a modified Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) observation checklist and a self-administered questionnaire. Results indicate a universal coverage of WASH facilities in the sampled schools, though the sufficiency and usability of the infrastructure were inadequate. The study also found better hand hygiene KAP scores among students in schools that had handwashing stations closer to toilets (p = 0.018). We conclude that while India has improved access to facilities under the recent National policy push, there needs to be a continued focus on increasing sufficiency, maintenance and usability of the facilities. Additionally, health promotion activities that include teachers, parents and the community are required to improve the hygiene and sanitation behavior of school children.

This seminar paper is guided by a mixed-method approach under convergent design to explore the effectiveness of school mapping and micro-planning in improving the teaching and learning facilities in public primary schools in the Arusha region-Tanzania. The study was guided by Open systems theory as postulated by Katz and Khan (1966). The target populations were 395,003. Both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used while questionnaire, observation checklist were used to gather quantitative information from pupils, teachers, Ward Education Officer, school Committee Members and interviews were used to collect Qualitative data from District Education Officer, District planning officer and District Executive Director. Quantitative Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and qualitative by coding and creating themes and final data was merged to ensure comparison of the findings. The reliability of the instruments was tested by using the Cronbach Alpha; while conformability of qualitative data was ensured by adherence to data collection procedures and ethics. The study found that there is an inadequate teaching and learning facilities in primary schools and concluded that school mapping and micro-planning was ineffective in improving teaching and learning facilities and recommended that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Collaborate with the President Office Regional Administrative and Local government (PO-RALG) through Departments of planning should maintain school mapping and micro-planning at district level for effective improvement of teaching and learning facilities in public primary schools and Local government and education stakeholders should mobilize and allocate, reallocation funds for building and maintenance of teaching and learning facilities in primary schools.

School hygiene and sanitation facilities given the increasing number of school enrolment in Primary schools. A safe school environment plays a key role in facilitating Hygiene education and enduring pupils with improved life skills. Although there is much attention given for the expansion of schools to reach all school aged children in the world, the concern on focusing school hygiene and sanitation remains to be a challenge. Assessing the status of water and sanitation, hygiene facilities in selected primary schools with the intention of obtaining exploring baseline to serve for implementation of a rural health and hygiene extension program in the School region. This study was conducted in Nalgonda district 5 government schools Telangana state India. Questionnaire based interviews with school principals and Teachers record reviews, supplemented by physical observation were used to collect the overall school data. Researcher used a Descriptive statistics analysis present study to analysis the findings. The ratio for girls was slightly lower than that for boys. The access to drinking water facilities and hand washing facilities were very much limited in school. The presence of school-based water, sanitation, and hygiene committee and Swachh dooth clubs actively working in few schools only.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of water sanitation and hygiene practices on 10 public primary schools in Dembelia Sinkunia chiefdom, Falaba district Sierra Leone. This research was to assess how to access clean water, adequate sanitation facilities, and its effects on attendance, and academic performance of pupils. The study utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative interviews. The study tools were structured questionnaires, observational fact sheet, interview schedule, focus group discussion and checklist for administrators in various schools. Structured questionnaires were administered to pupils, teachers, and school administrators to gather data on water sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, practices, and related health outcomes. Qualitative methods included in-depth interviews with key stakeholders to explore perceptions, challenges, and potential solutions regarding water sanitation and hygiene in public primary schools. 132 participants were interviewed 112 pupils and 20 primary school teachers as the sample size. Findings suggested a significant correlation between improved water sanitation and hygiene facilities and positive outcomes in pupils’ health, attendance rates, and academic achievement. However, qualitative data revealed functional hand washing points were present in only 30 percent of all study schools and were not found in 70% of schools. The study shows the inadequate sanitation facilities in schools led to high rates of absenteeism, poor academic performance, and reduced retention rates especially amongst girls. In conclusion, the status of sanitation facilities in the study region based on the results obtained, indicate that the amenities in public primary schools do not meet the required standards set by the standards manual for schools in Sierra Leone (2010). Sanitation facilities in the study schools were severely strained with pupil to latrine ratio exceeding the required national standards for both boys and girls.

An ideal primary school should have reasonably goodinfrastructure for students to provide them with variousfacilities such as smart classes, libraries, teacher’s room,water and sanitation, toilet, playground, ramp for personswith disabilities, and boundary wall. The availability ofsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in schoolsimproves health and increases school attendance leadingto better learning outcomes. Adequate water, sanitation,and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools are crucial forpromoting student health, well-being, and educationaloutcomes, as they reduce disease transmission andimprove attendance, particularly for girls.

INTRODUCTION: School water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives are the first steps towards improving health, education outcomes, and gender parity. Sustainable development goals (goal 6: ´water and sanitation for all by 2030´) and specifically goals 6.1 and 6.2 focus on drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. This study evaluated the progress of the water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in public primary schools. METHODS: a school-based cross-sectional survey was used, and primary data were collected by questionnaires through a face-to-face interview with school principals. Data input and cleanup were performed using EPI INFO (version 3.1), and statistical analyzes were performed using SPSS (version 23). Dependent variables were measured according to the indicators of the sustainable development goals such as basic, limited, and no services. The Chi-squared test was used to investigate the relationship of categorical outcome variables and a P-value of < 0.05 was considered significant and a 95% confidence interval was considered. RESULTS: Urban (68.8%) and rural (51.4%) public primary schools had access to drinking water through basic services, while 26% of rural public primary schools do not have drinking water sources. Regarding the ladder of services for sanitation in public primary schools, urban (66.7%) and rural (42.3%) had access to basic sanitation services, and 57.7% of rural public primary schools do not have sanitation services. The handwashing facilities in these schools were very low in both urban (35.4%) and rural (3.6%). Only urban public primary schools (8.3%) provide soap and water at handwashing stations. The solid waste disposal methods in public primary school methods consists mainly of burning (71.3%), followed by disposal (25%). CONCLUSIONS: the public primary schools were far from the way to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Half of rural public primary school PPSs had limited or no services. More than half of rural were accessed with no sanitation services. The proportion of handwashing facilities in public primary schools was very low. Even though there were better water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities among urban public primary schools compared with rural, strong emphasis should be given for both school managements in the remaining time.

Health is strongly correlated with water (drinking and hand washing), sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH). The significant key features of Bharat, Swachh Vidyalaya slogan are meant to ensure that each and every school in India has a set of functioning and well-maintained water and sanitation facilities. WaSH is referred to as the arrangement of technical and human development. It helps produce a healthy school environment and protects school children from illnesses. Its fundamental parameters are enhancement of school education and reduction in student drop-out in schools. It facilitates proper learning atmosphere in schools. Water, sanitation, and hygienic facilities are an important factor for formulating a healthy environment in schools, and it can effectively increase student enrollment, especially of girls. Therefore, the present study focused on water and toilet facilities in the state of Tamil Nadu and brings out an analysis of water and toilet facilities in government and private schools of Salem district (rural and urban areas), Tamil Nadu.

Abstrak Background: Physical education facilities are central to safe and meaningful learning in primary schools because they shape what teachers can implement and how students participate. Despite this importance, facility availability and condition are often not systematically recorded at the school-cluster level, making it difficult for schools and local stakeholders to plan improvements based on evidence. Aims: This study investigates the adequacy of physical education facilities in Indonesian primary schools within one school cluster by examining two practical dimensions, namely availability and physical condition of facilities and equipment. Methods: The study employed a descriptive quantitative design using a survey approach. Data were obtained through direct on-site observation using an assessment instrument that documents the presence of key facilities and the condition of supporting infrastructure for physical education. The results were summarized using descriptive statistics to portray the distribution of adequacy across schools in the cluster. Results: Findings reveal noticeable variation among schools. While several schools demonstrated relatively adequate provision and usable conditions, others showed shortages in specific equipment and limitations in supporting infrastructure. Differences were most apparent in the availability of learning equipment, the condition of sports fields, and the suitability of supporting facilities for routine physical education instruction. Conclusion: Facility adequacy within the studied school cluster remains uneven. This pattern underscores the need for targeted and sustained interventions to improve both equity and quality of physical education facilities in primary schools.

BackgroundThis study assessed characteristics of sanitation and hygiene facilities in a slum community in Kampala, Uganda.MethodsWe conducted a household-based cross-sectional study among 395 households in Kasubi slum using a semi-structured questionnaire and observational checklist to collect data.ResultsAlmost 98.0% (387/395) of households owned a sanitation facility and 77.0% (298/387) shared it with other households. The most common type of sanitation facility was a pit latrine with slab (66.9% [259/387]). Most (90.5% [305/337]) latrines had a door or shutter, a roof (92.9% [313/337]) and a depth >1.5 m (68.2% [229/337]). Overall, 21.3% (84/395) and 65.6% (259/395) of households had improved and functional sanitation facilities, respectively. Only 16.5% (65/395) of the households had a hand-washing facility. Student-led (adjusted prevalence rate [PR] 2.67 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.83–3.94]) and households that owned their house (adjusted PR 2.17 [95% CI 1.33–3.53]) were 2.67 and 2.17 times more likely to have improved sanitation facilities, respectively. Households that owned their house (adjusted PR 1.90 [95% CI 1.18–3.05]) were 1.9 times more likely to possess a hand-washing facility.ConclusionsThe coverage of improved sanitation and hygiene facilities was low. The majority of households were using a shared pit latrine with a slab that had no hand-washing facility. Sanitation and hygiene interventions should prioritize improving sanitation and hygiene facilities.

This paper sets out to assess the state of water supply and sanitation in government primary schools in Kinondoni Municipality. It based on data collected in 2013. A cross-sectional study design was adopted, collecting data through the use of questionnaire, in-depth interviews and observation from ten public primary schools in the study area. Statistical Package for social science (SPSS) was used to clean and analyse the data collected. The study found out that there is inadequate and unreliable water supply, water storage facilities and shortage of functioning hand-washing facilities. The available sanitation facilities are poorly utilized due to various reasons including pupils’ background personal hygiene, sanitation technology, pupils’ population, lack of hygiene education and school weakness in implementing School Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (SWASH) guideline. The study concludes that although the government primary schools in Kinondoni Municipality own a variety of water sources and sanitation facilities, generally there is inadequate coverage of water and sanitation facilities in primary schools. Also the SWASH guidelines did not specify who is to be responsible for the maintenance costs, awareness creation to teachers, parents, and pupils as well cultural aspect on the use of SWASH facilities were not considered. To increase water reliability at schools, multiple sources (water tape and deep wells) could be the best solution. Parents and pupils should be involved in SWASH program awareness and consider economic (maintenance costs) and cultural appropriateness, also to avoid punishing pupils by using toilet cleaning at schools.

The problem of access to water, sanitation and hygiene constitutes a great threat to human health in the world. Studies showed the inadequacy of the hygiene system, of sanitation and of drinking water favoring a disease burden particularly in developing countries. This research was carried out in fourteen (14) primary schools in rural areas in the Agnéby–Tassa region. It allowed us to assess the state and conditions of access to water and hygiene systems in these localities. To achieve the targeted objective, a cross-sectional study waas carried out from February to May 2022 in the rural area of the Agnéby-Tiassa region. In the fourteen selected schools, 270 students were interviewed. In addition, direct observations and a questionnaire survey were conducted. The results show that 53.8% of the schools surveyed do not have access to water sources. A rate of 71% have latrines. However, these latrines are used by 29% of the students who attend these schools. Regarding hygiene practices, nearly 58.5% of students have a good understanding of the need to wash their hands before eating. This is confirmed by 73.7% of the students who say they wash their hands with soap before eating. Considering all of the above, it is necessary for the authorities to make efforts to meet the need for adequate infrastructures and equipments with the aim of cleaning up schools in rural areas

Background:Inadequate water supply, poor sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools, insufficient puberty education and a lack of hygienic menstrual hygiene management (MHM) items (absorbents) cause girls in developing countries like Ethiopia to view menstruation as shameful and uncomfortable. However, there was little evidence of female MHM practice and associated factors among secondary school girls in eastern Ethiopia.Objective:To assess MHM practice and associated factors among secondary school girls in eastern Ethiopia.Design:Institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted.Methods:A total of 473 secondary schoolgirls were selected using a stratified sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire, double-entered to Epidata version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Descriptive analysis was computed using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviations. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to assess the association of the school water, sanitation and hygiene facilities with MHM. Adjusted odd ratio (AOR) with its 95% confidence interval was computed to show the strength of the association between dependent and independent variables. The goodness of fit of the model was tested by the Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness of fit test.Results:Out of 473 study participants, 72.93% of them (95% CI: 68.74–76.76) reported good MHM practices. The study also found that availability of continuous water supply (AOR = 2.40, 95% CI: (1.42–4.01)); types of toilet (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI: (1.20–3.40)), confined space (AOR = 3.02, 95% CI: (1.49–4.76)) and having females’ toilets alone inside in the school (AOR = 2.70, 95% CI: (1.20–4.40)) were significantly associated with female students’ good MHM practice.Conclusion:The survey revealed that some of the secondary schoolgirls practiced poor menstrual hygiene management (MHM), which needs further improvement. The study also found that the availability of continuous water supply in the school, types of toilet facility in the school, availability of private space to manage periods at school, learning about MHM in schools and availability of female toilets kept locked inside were factors significantly associated with MHM practice of students, which require integration of Zonal Health and education bureau to jointly work towards the improvement of school WASH facilities.

Inadequate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities has remained a daunting reality in majority of schools in low-income countries. In this study, the authors examined the availability of physical facilities for menstrual hygiene management, class attendance of girls from P.4 to P.7 and the relationship between the physical menstrual hygiene management facilities and class attendance of girls in primary schools. The paper was constructed from secondary datasets from the Eighth Uwezo Learning Assessment. A total of 954 schools were enlisted for the study. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and spearman rank correlation. Based on the findings, the study argues that promotion of girl child education through provision of WASH facilities unveiled both challenges and successful stories. While private rooms and functional hand washing facilities were limited in numbers, and in some cases not available at all, separate latrine stances were largely available. There were remarkable differences in the average girls’ attendance across regions and classes. Due to diverse relationships between menstrual hygiene facilities and class attendance, the study concludes that enhanced WASH facilities promote girls’ attendance while inadequate facilities hinder the attendance. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education and Sports should prioritize provision of adequate WASH facilities in primary schools. In addition, the government should ensure that interventions from development and/or education partners maximize the provision of quality WASH facilities for enhanced girls’ school attendance.