This document discusses factors affecting the use and sustainability of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools in Afghanistan. It notes that only 45% of schools have basic WASH facilities, and outlines challenges like lack of appropriate design, maintenance frameworks, and capacity building. It describes ongoing actions by UNICEF to address these issues through improved data collection, development planning, and revised designs that promote use and cleaning. Finally, it shares an assessment grading schools in one province on their WASH status and needs.

1. Addressing the Challenge on the Use and Sustainability of
School WASH facilities in Afghanistan
Adane Bekele, WASH Specialist, UNICEF-Afghanistan
Dhaka, Bangladesh, 31 January -2 February 2012
ASIA REGIONAL SANITATION AND HYGIENE
PRACTITIONERS WORKSHOP

2. Background
• According to Ministry of Education figures for 2011, provided
by the Youth Welfare and Planning Department, there are
12,891 schools in Afghanistan, and only 45% have basic water
and sanitation facilities
• Based on data collected from 7,769 schools in 24 provinces in
2009, 36% had safe drinking water, 22% had separate toilets
for boys and girls, 8% had separate toilets for physically
challenged students, and 13% had hand-washing facilities out
of which 7% Soap available
• Through its National Policy of 2010 on Rural Water, Sanitation
and Hygiene, the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and
Development aims to rehabilitate 3,500 latrines and construct
23,000 new sanitation facilities in schools – increasing
coverage to 80% by 2014.
• Ministry of Education’s National Education Strategic Plan
2010–2013 set the objective of providing 5,200 schools with
sanitation facilities by 2014.

3. Factors affecting Use of
WASH facilities -
• Lack of appropriate design of
WASH facilities
• Old, abandoned and
unrepairable latrines
• Unavailability of sufficient
facilities of water, toilet and hand
washing facilities
• Lack of facilities for disposal of
solid waste
• Lack of facilities for management
of girls hygiene (MHH)
• Lake of awareness on
menstruation
• Balance between
hardware, knowledge and
practice
• Toilet being untidy and
smelly, latrines are unventilated
and without sufficient lighting

4. Factors affecting
sustainability of
WASH facilities
• Lack of defined role and
responsibility
• Absence of Operation and
maintenance frame work
• Budget allocation from Government
and community
• Low capacity of MOE
• Gap between knowledge and
practice, students are not taught
how to utilize WASH
facilities, therefore, they are using
facilities in appropriate manner
• Lack of clear guideline on roles of
Stakeholders in Planning and
Preparation for O&M
• Priority is being paid to construction
of WASH facilities while
consideration of their maintenance
and operation is ignored.
• No mechanism available for
repairing of hand pump if get non-
functional

5. On-going action to improve use and sustainability of school WASH facilities
• Developing good data collection and management for planning
• Step by step process of WASH development plan by school committee
• Revising the existing school larine designed which encourage the use and cleaning
of the facilities
• Menstruation Health and Hygiene

6. Ex based on the assessment conducted by NGO
Gradation of schools for WASH status
• UNICEF’s School WASH Guidelines Province Grade No. of schools Remark
recommend that gradation be carried 0 None of the assessed schools have
Grade -1
out for WASH status in schools. a complete WASH program
• The gradation is completed on the basis 2 Two schools have good water and
of already identified criteria: the latrine facilities. But the hygiene
Grade -2
availability of facilities and hygiene promotion and management
promotion practices with ‘Grade-1’ committees are not in place.
highlighted a ‘green’ rating given to a 15 One school needs improvement of
school having all the latrine and water, 5 schools need
components, whilst those with ‘Grade- latrine improvement but water
4’ highlighted a ‘red’ rating given to a Parwan facilities are ok, 5 schools have
school lacking all the basic components. good latrines but need new water
Grade -3
• The gradation shown in the table below facility, 2 schools need latrine
has been completed for 49 schools in improvement and rehabilitation of
Parwan province. water facility. 2 schools need new
• Accordingly, 32 schools (65%) fall in latrine and improvement of water
Grade-4 WASH status; 15 schools (30%) facility
fall in Grade-3 WASH status; 2 schools 32 All need new water facility, 13,
(4%) fall in Grade-2 status and none fall Grade -4 need new latrines, 19 need latrine
in Grade-1 status. improvement