Assessment of WASH infrastructure in schools in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia using structured observations and principal interviews

Abstract

Adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene(WASH) facilities in schools are vital, especially for girls. This study addresses a gap in assessing the adequacy of WASH facilities' repair at schools affected by natural hazards. Central Sulawesi was used as a case study where principal interviews were conducted at 26 schools, and structured observations were made at 18 schools, 3 years after the earthquake in September 2018. Of the 26 principals, 10 reported no damage to the toilets from the events of September 2018. Among those who reported damage, a third felt that the fixes insufficiently met basic needs and that they did not deliver WASH services as well as they used to. Structured observations revealed that most toilets lacked soap, open water reserves were placed next to non-flush latrines, posing a high potential for vector-breeding, and there were inadequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management, including no bins. Recommendations include ensuring a supply of soaps, adding lids to water storage containers for hygiene, and providing sanitary napkins and lidded bins. It was noted that private schools provided a better level of WASH service than state schools, and state schools in more hazardous zones did not take long to recover and offer lower-quality WASH facilities.