AN ASSESSMENT OF DISABILITY-FRIENDLY WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) beyond household, and especially in the school-setting, is very important to the general health and education of children. Thus, the provision of WASH services in schools must respond to the needs of every child, bearing in mind the differences in age, gender, intellectual capacity, and physical and mental health conditions. However, WASH facilities that are universally accessible to students with disabilities are barely available in most schools despite government and non-governmental organisations’ efforts towards inclusive education. This piece of literature, documents the findings of a research study that was conducted to assess the status of disability-friendly WASH facilities in primary schools. Principally, the study explored the application of the stipulations set forth by the Malawi Nation’s Sanitation Policy on disability and WASH related issues in schools. Six public primary schools namely; Namasimba, Catholic Institute, Nancholi, Mpapa, Mpemba and Chisawani in Blantyre District, T/A Somba were chosen for the study. A total of 35 students with various forms of disabilities were purposively chosen and participated in the study. By design, the study assumes the case study research strategy employing the cross-sectional time horizon throughout. Some minor quantitative research approaches were employed, as well, employed. Apart from data collected in the field through focus group discussions, interviews with key informants, questionnaires and observations, secondary data from MoEST database was utilised for validation and analysis. Findings from this study indicate that the accessibility of WASH facilities in 84% of the schools does not meet the standard requirements for effective WASH inclusivity. Water availability on its own was not a major factor that contributed the poor WASH status in these schools but rather the accessibility of the WASH facilities. Interaction with students indicated that MHM is an issue that receives less attention among all aspects of WASH in the schools assessed. There are literally no properly designed criteria to promote the awareness of MHM in relation to WASH facilities.