This document discusses school WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) infrastructures in India and their compliance with standards set by the Right to Education Act. It finds that while the government has taken steps to provide separate toilets for boys and girls, the latrine standards adopted are far below international guidelines. It also notes issues around lack of adequate water facilities, concerns for disabled students and menstrual hygiene for girls that remain unaddressed. It concludes that while some improvements are visible, much more is needed to ensure sufficiency, quality and universal access to WASH facilities as per the Act's vision.

1. Tata Institute
of
Social Sciences
THE INDIAN JOURNAL
OF
SOCIAL WORK
Volume 76, Issue 4
October, 2015
IJSW, 76 (4), 609–616, October, 2015
DISCUSSION NOTE
School WASH Infrastructures and Compliance
with the RTE
Anjan Sarkar
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE) 2009 has rec-
ommended certain standards for adequate and quality Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
(WASH) infrastructures in schools. The government has adopted various steps to com-
ply with the recommended standards, but certain quality issues are far from being ad-
dressed. The latrine standards are far below the recommended standards, water safety
is mostly overlooked, and concerns for the disadvantaged groups, physically handi-
capped children and adolescent girls remained unaddressed. The paper identifies the
gaps in the steps adopted by the government and recommends actions for addressing
them.
Anjan Sarkar is Hygiene Programme Manager, SPLASH, West Bengal.
INTRODUCTION
Although the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme
in schools has been recognised as an important area of intervention
by the Government of India (GoI), there is an urgent need to fulfil the
infrastructure components, which are pre-requisites for quality WASH
promotion. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education
Act (RTE) 2009 has specified certain norms and standards on the water
and sanitation facilities for schools. The Supreme Court has intervened
so as to expedite the provision of the facilities. The Ministry of Drinking
Water and Sanitation and the Ministry of Human Resource Development
have committed to taking joint action to develop strategies and approaches
to scale up sustainable WASH in Schools (UNICEF, 2013). Several

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government orders have been issued and guidelines published on the
requisite standards for infrastructure; indicators are also set for measuring
the progress by the District Information System for Education (DISE).
However, whether these ensure adequate quality WASH infrastructures
that are in compliance with the RTE, needs examination.
RTE on School Water and Sanitation
The RTE aims to safeguard the rights of every child including those
belonging to the disadvantaged groups and protects them from any kind
of discrimination; it seeks to ensure the completion of their elementary
education in stress free environments. The water and sanitation norms and
standards, which are very explicit in the RTE, stipulate “separate toilets
for boys and girls”, “safe and adequate drinking water facilities to all
children” and “barrier-free access” (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Ministry of
Human Resource Development, 2009).
Latrine Standards
The government took prompt action to ensure the construction of
“separate toilets for boys and girls”. An order issued by the Department
of Drinking Water Supply on 6th May 2009 stipulating “one toilet seat
may be provided for every 80 to 120 boys or girls separately” has been
complied with. Although there is full compliance with the provision
of ‘separate’ toilets, how adequate would one toilet be for 80 to 120
boys and girls is a matter of concern. In the same year World Health
Organisation (WHO) recommended latrine standards for schools: 1
toilet per 25 girls and one toilet plus one urinal for 50 boys (Adams,
2009). The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) had also recommended 1
latrine for 25 girls and 1 for 40 boys (Bureau of Indian Standards, 1993).
However, as per the data shown in Table 1, it is apparent that the standards
adopted by the GoI on school latrines are far below the recommended
standards of WHO and BIS.
Table 1: Comparative Data for Standards issued by WHO, BIS and the
GoI
Organisations Latrines for girls Latrines for boys
World Health Organisation, 2009 1 for 25 girls 1 for 50 boys
Bureau of Indian Standards, 2010 1 for 25 girls 1 for 40 boys
Dept. Drinking Water Supply, Dated:
6th May 2009
1 for 80 to 120 girls 1 for 80 to 120 boys

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IJSW, 76 (4), 609–616, October, 2015
As seen in Table 2, a comparison of standards adopted by the
neighbouring countries reveal interesting data (UNICEF, 2012). The data
clearly shows that India has the lowest standards for the construction and
maintenance of toilets in schools.
Table 2: Latrine Standards across Six Asian Countries
Countries Toilet for boys Toilet for girls
Bangladesh 1 toilet for 50 boys 1 toilet for 50 girls
Bhutan 1 toilet for 40 boys 1 toilet for 25 girls
India 1 toilet seat for every 80 to 120
boys
1 toilet seat for every 80 to 120
girls
Maldives 1 toilet for 50 boys 1 toilet for 35 girls
Nepal 1 toilet for 50 boys 1 toilet for 50 girls
Pakistan 1 toilet for 50 boys 1 toilet for 25 girls
Sri Lanka 1 toilet for 50–90 boys 1 toilet for 50–90 girls
Note: The table is prepared using the data available in the UNICEF’s WASH for School
Children, Provisional Draft, State-of-the-art in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The indicators used for monitoring the progress of school toilet
constructions under the DISE are percent schools having boys’ toilet and
percent of schools having girls’ toilet. As per the DISE Flash statistics, the
results achieved for 2013 – 2014, are encouraging; 94.45 percent schools
have a toilet for boys and 84.63 percent have a toilet for girls. However,
the indicators are unable to reflect whether the schools are provided with
adequate toilets, that is, toilets for each of the 80 – 120 boys or girls.
Toilets for Children with Special Needs
Safeguarding the rights of the disadvantaged groups of children is another
important concern of the RTE. The Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) has
specified that the school toilet designs should be developed, reviewed and
standardised to address quality concerns and more importantly to comply
with benchmarks set for “child friendliness”, “gender responsiveness”
and to provide access opportunities to children with special needs (Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan). A guideline for school development planning has also
been published by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): “Children with
disabilities should be able to enter the school building easily and negotiate
their way around the school and be able to use the playgrounds, drinking

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water and toilet facilities”. The comprehensiveness of the approach is
hardly reflected when its measuring indicator is restricted only to the
“percentage of schools having ramps”. The DISE data on the availability of
ramp is encouraging with 83.33 percent, but the findings of a study report
of Uttar Pradesh claims that “96 percent school toilets are not disabled
friendly” (Sandeep Srivastava and PMED team, 2013). There have been
initiatives by the states and union territories, for example, Puducherry
constructed “toilets with adaptability” for the physically challenged
students and systematic steps were thought about (The Hindu, 2009), but
similar initiatives are yet to be seen in the other states.
Hand Washing Facilities
The provision of running water is essential for maintenance and hygienic
usage. Although the need for “flowing water” is mentioned in the SSA
guideline of 2010, the government order was formally issued four years
after the RTE was implemented on 10th July, 2014 and, that too, only for
the schools whose toilets were constructed post 2007. The order talks about
providing “separate toilets for boys and girls with water connection”.
Although provision of running water in toilet units is the main thrust
area, the indicator used in DISE is little different - “percentage of schools
having hand wash facility available near toilet/urinal”- and unclear as to
how many toilets have water connections. A positive indicator would be
a check on the main driver for ensuring running water — the availability
of electricity.
Concerns for Safe Water
The RTE has emphasised the importance of “safe and adequate” drinking
water. While the SSAhas given due importance to the aspect of “adequate”
by stipulating “one fountain for every 30”, it is silent about the “safe” part
of it. The Government of Maharashtra has shown some initiative and is
distributing sodium hypochlorite grade I (Medi-Chlor M) for purification
of drinking water in schools (The Times of India, 2010); however, this
has not been implemented in all the government schools. Although the
DISE Indicator is specific about “percent of schools having drinking
water facility”, there is no data for how many schools are providing
safe drinking water. The Nirmal Vidyalaya Abhiyan launched by the
Government encourages schools to initiate water testing once in a year.
As this is voluntary, it is left to the schools to take suitable measures if the
water is found to be contaminated.

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Addressing the Needs of Adolescent Girls
Studies show that mental stress among the adolescent girls is common
at the time of menstruation. The TSC guideline talks about “gender
responsiveness” of the toilet units. UNICEF recognised menstrual hygiene
as a key to keeping girls in schools. There have been initiatives, however,
for providing highly subsidised sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in
schools. Towards this, incinerators for safe disposal of soiled napkins have
also been successfully piloted in Tamil Nadu. These initiatives are not yet
incorporated at a national level in the WASH programmes.
Installing WASH Infrastructures
Section 18 of the RTE Act is specific about withdrawing recognition in
case a school fails to comply with the norms and standards. But, a large
number of schools have multiple and deep rooted problems that are
completely unfavourable for the installation of the required infrastructures.
About 9,135 schools (NCERT, 2009) in India exist without any buildings;
they are either run in the open or in tents. A large number of schools are
operated from rented buildings. Getting lease agreements from the owners
for a period of 7 to 10 years, which is a precondition for an infrastructure
grant from the government, is a big challenge. Around 900 primary and
nursery schools in Tamil Nadu are on the verge of getting closure notices
for their failure to adhere to rules on infrastructure (The New Indian
Express, 2013). Maharashtra alone has about 833 schools operating from
rented buildings. Even when schools have buildings and ownerships, the
available space is not always adequate. Cooking of mid-day meals is not
possible in 9.45 percent of schools because of space constraints; therefore,
installing adequate WASH facilities will remain a dream.
CONCLUSION
Some improvements are visible in the WASH infrastructures of the
schools, but a lot more is needed for ensuring adequacy, quality and
universalisation. The specific components which are in need of urgent
attention are as follows:
• Up-gradation of latrines on par with international guidelines including
provision of running water supply near water closets.
• Promoting the adoption of some basic water purification measures
across schools in all the states.

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• Universally implementing the provisions which are in the interests of
the disadvantaged groups, that is, providing toilets for the students with
disabilities with proper access.
• Providing subsidised sanitary napkins for adolescent girls and
incinerators for their safe disposal adolescent girls.
• Prioritising interventions by addressing the deep rooted problems
relating to land ownership and space availability.
REFERENCES
Adams, J. :
2009
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-
cost Settings, Geneva: The World Health Organisation.
Available online at http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_
health/publications/wash_standards_school.pdf (Accessed on
15 July 2014).
India: Bureau of :
Indian Standards
1993
Indian Standard Code of Basic Requirements for Water Supply,
Drainage and Sanitation (Table 10 Schools and Educational
Institutions), (Fourth Reprint December 2010), New Delhi.
Available online at https://law.resource.org/pub/in/bis /S03/is.
1172.1993.html . (Accessed on 21 July 2007).
India: Ministry of :
Human Resource
Development
2009
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act,
2009, New Delhi: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
Available online at http://ssa.nic.in/quality-of-education/right-
of-children-to-free-and-compulsory-education-act-2009.pdf.
(Accessed on 15 July 2014).
2010 : Draft Guidelines For Whole School Development Planning
UNDER SSA, March 2010, ANNEXURE – II (B), New Delhi:
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
Available online at ssa.nic.in/infrastructureprovisiondoc/20th...
of.../Annexure-2%20B.pdf. (Accessed on 21 April 2014).
National Council of :
Educational
Research and Training
2009
8th All India School Education Survey, 2009, New Delhi.
Available online at http://www.aises.nic.in/surveyoutputs.
(Accessed on 24 August 2014).
Srivastava S. and :
PMED Team
2013
Status of Hygiene and Sanitation in Schools, Uttar Pradesh.
Available online at sesindia.org/FINAL%20REPORT_
SANITATION%20HYGINE.pdf. (Accessed on 24 July 2014).

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The Hindu :
2009
Toilets with Features for Physically Challenged to be set up in
Schools.
Available online at http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/
tp-national/tp-otherstates/toilets-with-features-for-physically-
challenged-to-be-set-up-in-schools/article152221.ece.
(Accessed on 27 July 2014).
The New Indian :
Express
2013
900 Schools may Shut due to Lack of Infrastructure.
Available online at http://www.newindianexpress.com/
states/tamil_nadu/900-schools-may-shut-due-to-lack-of-
infrastructure/2013/06/23/article1648463.ece. (Accessed on 21
July 2014).
The Times of India :
2010
Government to Distribute Chemical for Purified Water at
Schools.
Available online at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/
pune/Government-to-distribute-chemical-for-purified-water-at-
schools/articleshow/6399258.cms. (Accessed on 21 July 2014).
UNICEF :
2013
WASH in All Schools: Making it a Reality.
Available online at http://www.washinschools.info/page/2636
(Accessed on 22 July 2014).
2012 : WASH for School Children,( Provisional Draft): State-of-
the-art in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives,
Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Available online at http://www.unicef.org/wash/schools/files/
UNICEF_WASH_for_School_Children_South_Asia_Report.
pdf. (Accessed on 21 July 2014)