Access to Improved Sanitation Facilities and Female School Attendance: A study of Savelugu Municipality of Ghana

Abstract

The study investigates the extent to which access to adequate and improved sanitation influence school attendance of female students in public senior high schools in the Savelugu municipality of Ghana. A cross sectional survey design using both qualitative and quantitative methods was used to collect data in Savelugu Senior High School and Pong-Tamale Senior High School, all in the Savelugu Municipality. A total of 345 female students and two headmasters and six assistant headmasters from the two senior high schools were interviewed. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The study established that the availability of improved and adequate sanitation facilities was significant in determining the extent of use, and school attendance of females in such schools. The study established that lack of privacy and insecurity caused by substandard sanitation facilities contributed to female student absenteeism. The study further revealed that the availability of improved sanitation facilities could account for 38.3% percent of the change in the level of sanitation use and its impact on female school attendance. We recommend that school management teams should ensure adequate provision of improved sanitation facilities in every public senior high school as part of efforts to improve female students school attendance.