Participatory Assessment of Water and Sanitation Facilities in

Schools

A study by CEE AP with support from UNICEF and SSHE

The CEE AP office has undertook a study of the water and sanitation facilities “Participatory Assessment of Water and Sanitation Facilities in Schools” in 33 schools of Ananthapur, Medak and Vishakapatnam. School Water Sanitation and Hygiene Education (SSHE) cell of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and UNICEF

IntroductionIntroduction

The objectives of the study

To undertake a participatory assessment of water and sanitation facilities in schools involving students, teachers, parents.

To identify and present a set of recommendations for improving the design (hard ware and soft ware) of school water and sanitation facilities based on the participatory assessment.

Innovative methodology

Interaction with teachers

Interaction with students at the facility

Interaction with parents

Children designing there toilets

Interaction with students with flash cards

Visit to home

Hardware component

All the schools had toilet facilitiesIn 40% of the schools the urinal

facilities were not being used by the students

In 75% of the schools the WCs were not being used by the students

Reasons given by students for not using toilet

ReasonsNumber of schools where

this reason was given

No water available at toilet 12

Toilets are thought to be for exclusive use by teachers 7

Habituated to open defecation and urination 4

No or damaged door for girls urinal 3

Access to toilet not comfortable - distance, growth of bushes 2

Unclean toilets 1

No soak-pit for urinal 1

Small children find screen height inconvenient 1

No provision of door No provision of footrests in girls urinals

No provision of water storage facility near

urinals

No roof Height of urinals and the screen wall

Facility to drain water and unclean surroundings

Access and Location

No protection from misuse Tap height

Maintenance of urinals in schools

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Dai

ly

Wee

kly

Mon

thly

Stu

dent

s

Sch

ool

arra

nged

clea

ner

Pan

chay

atar

rang

edcl

eane

r

Frequency of cleaning Maintenance by

Nomaintenance

Regular maintenance of urinal

Num

ber

of s

choo

ls

Existing and recommended students : urinal ratio

Primary Schools

Upper Primary Schools

High Schools

Average student strength of school 77 182 388

Average student strength per class 15 25 40

Duration of recess period 15 15 15

Existing students : urinal ratio 14:1 30:1 25:1

Proposed students : urinal ratio 10:1 10:1 10:1

Criteria identified by teachers as important for school toilets

Criteria for toilet facility Number of teachers' scorecards reporting this criteria

Infrastructure aspects

Water facility (including provision of taps and storage tank)

32

Ventilation 8

Slope, footrests and screen 6

Appropriate students : toilets ratio 6

Separate toilets for boys and girls 5

Roof over urinal 5

Provision of doors 4

Good quality sanitary ware and construction 3

Wall paintings with instructions on use 2

Facilities for physically handicapped students 1

Management aspects

Cleanliness 9

Provision of cleaning material 8

Use of toilets 8

Provision of buckets, mug 7

Availability and usage of soap 5

Status of water facilities in schools

Status of water facility in schools

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

PW

Sco

nnec

tion

not p

rese

nt

PW

Sco

nnec

tion

pres

ent

PW

Sfu

nctio

ning

Han

dpum

pno

t pre

sent

Han

dpum

ppr

esen

t

Han

dpum

pfu

nctio

ning

PWS connection Handpump

Num

ber

of s

choo

ls

Status of storage tank facility in schools

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Storage tank notpresent

Storage tankpresent

Storage tankbeing cleaned

regularly

Num

ber

of s

choo

ls

Status of taps facility in schools

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

PWS connectionto school

Provision oftaps

Functioning oftaps

Num

ber

of s

choo

ls

Hand pump and drainage

Accidents during operation of the pumps

Minor repairs

Un cleaned water tank Leaking tank

Leaking pipes No stopper

Software component

First-generation toilet users need active encouragement

Orientation to masons and quality control during construction

Involve students in maintenance Guidelines to head masters for maintenance Orientation to head masters and teachers Monitoring of school sanitation and water facility Awareness building wall paintings

The outcomes with respect to the process

Assessment of the state of the water and sanitation infrastructure in each school

Assessment of the state of water, sanitation and hygiene behaviour of students and teachers

Action plan at school level indicating actions that are needed at various levels and specifying the support required

Articulation of commitment for initiating and sustaining action by the significant stakeholders

Children response

Thank you

Let there dreams come true!