WASH in Schools: Implementation Guidelines

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is important for good health. Schools take simple, inexpensive steps to improve WASH facilities at their school, and healthy hygiene habits are taught, practised and integrated into daily school routines.

Safe water, toilets and improved hygiene behaviours are essential in schools to provide a clean and safe learning environment. Although we have made progress, the sustainability of school water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services and hygiene behaviour change remains a huge challenge in many countries.

Safe WASH is essential in schools to provide children with a clean, safe learning environment and teach them how to live healthy, happy adult lives.

In low and middle-income countries, almost half of schools do not have safe drinking water and 55% lack sanitation facilities. School hygiene is a particular challenge; based on the limited data available, only 21% of schools in developing countries have handwashing facilities. This lack of basic water and sanitation services and improved hygiene behaviours is holding back students’ potential and preventing them from escaping poverty.

In the South Pacific self-reported data collected on WASH in Schools from Ministries of Education in the region demonstrate that school children in Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands have extremely low access levels. In Kiribati a meagre 4% of schools have access to sanitation and only 3% to water. A baseline study in the Solomon Islands revealed that 46% of schools in rural areas lack access to water, 65% lack access to sanitation and 66% lack handwashing facilities.

In addition, girls and children with disabilities are denied access to education due to stigma and when WASH facilities are unavailable or inadequate. Girls miss school each month because of stigma concerning menstruation and because sanitary pads are unaffordable for many families, and toilets in schools are not equipped with menstrual hygiene facilities, or are not properly maintained.

Written by: Michelle Abel

Contributors: Betty Amos, David Boas, Mathew Johnston, Jessica Jota, Josephine Kombul,
Iva Koroisamanunu, Jessica Pungmat, Jack Purai, Clement Nusama, Tom Rankin, Brendon Teava
and Cecilia Tohiam

Thank you to Declan Hearne from International WaterCentre for starting Live & Learn on this journey.

Design and Layout: Wilani van Wyk-Smit

Illustration: Nick Mattiske

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This manual is available online at:
https://livelearn.org/what/resources/wash-schools-implementation-guidelines