Community schools are the backbone of Nepal's education system, playing a crucial role in producing educated manpower capable of contributing to the nation's socio-economic transformation and sustainable development. Approximately 7.47 million pupils are enrolled in around 27,900 community schools across the country. Schools serve as vital platforms for inspiring students to innovate and develop skills that contribute to national progress in the 21st century. Educated students are key to building smart, socially, economically, and culturally advanced societies.
Unfortunately, many community school children continue to suffer from inadequate access to basic drinking water and sanitation services, including toilets. Despite Nepal's constitution recognizing "access to safe water and sanitation" as a fundamental right (Article 41), thousands of students still face hardships in meeting these essential needs. Internationally, access to safe drinking water and sanitation is acknowledged as a human right, yet Nepal's progress remains limited in ensuring these services for school children.
While the government aims to achieve universal access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene services by 2030, achieving this ambitious target will be extremely challenging under the current working and financing model. Consequently, thousands of students face disruptions in their education due to the absence of functional toilet and drinking water facilities, forcing some to leave classes or drop out entirely.
The school's crumbling toilets, damaged pipes, and dry taps are symptoms of systemic issues: aging infrastructure, water scarcity, and limited maintenance capacity. Without functional sanitation, students face health risks like diarrheal diseases, while girls miss up to 20% of school days annually due to menstrual hygiene challenges. Water scarcity exacerbates the problem, forcing children to prioritize survival over learning.
Many community schools' toilet facilities are non-functional due to inadequate water supply, rendering existing toilet structures useless and wasting significant investments. Despite around 82% of schools having toilet facilities, an estimated 25-30% of these toilets are currently non-functional. This situation directly impacts children's education, health, and overall well-being.
School children play a vital role as catalysts for positive social change, raising awareness about health, education, environmental issues, gender equality, and climate change. Schools should be equipped with fundamental facilities like safe drinking water and functional toilets to support students' education and well-being. Without these basic services, Nepal risks compromising the development of skilled and informed citizens vital for achieving national prosperity.
To improve the situation, the government must assume responsibility for ensuring the proper operation, supervision, and monitoring of school infrastructure. However, there is currently no comprehensive data on the number of non-functional toilets and water supply systems in community schools or their impact on students' education and health.
Immediate steps should include: Assessment and Data Collection: The government, in collaboration with local authorities, should conduct a nationwide assessment to identify non-functional toilets and water projects in community schools; Renovation and Maintenance: Schools with non-functional infrastructure should prioritize renovation and maintenance with adequate water supply solutions to restore toilet functionality; School Management Committee (SMC) Leadership: The respective SMCs, in coordination with local governments and WASH-sector partners, should take the lead in maintaining and managing school facilities; Community Engagement: Active involvement of the local community with majority of women and youths in project management ensures sustainability and ownership; Financial Support and Partnerships: The government should allocate sufficient budget for WASH services in schools. Collaborations with INGOs, NGOs, CBOs, and donor agencies can also strengthen efforts; and Capacity Building & Hygiene Education.
Teachers and student "WASH Ambassadors" were trained to promote handwashing, menstrual hygiene, and water conservation. Workshops debunked taboos around menstruation, while parents learned to build household toilets using subsidized government schemes. The school management committee and the local community must take ownership to ensure the smooth operation of the water and sanitation system. This requires fostering effective partnerships with concerned stakeholders to address operational and maintenance tasks (O&M). All aspects-technical, financial, social, and cultural-must be systematically managed to sustain the system's functionality.
Community schools, particularly in hilly and mountainous regions, face critical challenges in securing adequate water and toilet services. This directly impacts children's education, health, and overall societal progress. While Nepal declared itself Open Defecation Free (ODF) on September 30, 2019, many students and communities continue to struggle with inadequate sanitation services, pushing some individuals to resort to open defecation.
To ensure improved school attendance and educational outcomes, the government and stakeholders must prioritize immediate interventions to restore non-functional toilet facilities and water systems. Collaborative efforts involving school management committees, local governments, and community members are essential to sustaining these facilities. Without such actions, Nepal risks continued student dropouts, economic challenges, and barriers to achieving its vision of a smart, prosperous society. A strategic and scientific approach to addressing these issues is crucial to building a healthier, educated, and thriving Nepal.
The nation cannot become happy and prosperous by allowing thousands of people (approximately 750,000 per year) to migrate abroad for employment opportunities, while nearly 36% of students drop out of school before reaching grade 10. Therefore, the government and all concerned stakeholders should take this issue seriously, raising awareness and implementing strategic plans to reduce school dropout rates and outward migration. These plans should be designed scientifically and executed practically to address these challenges effectively.
Dr Rawal is Water and Sanitation Expert
