AN EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATION INTO THE STATUS OF WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH) OF SCHOOLS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

C. C. Nnaji

doi:10.4314/njt.v42i3.15

Authors

C. C. Nnaji University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4314/njt.v42i3.15

Keywords:

Sanitation, toilet, water sources, health, environment

Abstract

The status of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities was investigated in sixty schools in seven local government areas of Enugu State, Nigeria. A total of sixty schools comprising of twenty-four (24) private schools, twenty (20) government schools and Sixteen (16) mission schools were investigated in this study. Using questionnaire and on-the-spot assessment, WASH facilities in the selected schools were subjected to in-depth scrutiny. The highest number of schools that do not have a water source within the school premises are government schools (10), followed by private schools (7) and then mission schools (2). About seventy-one percent (71%) of the schools investigated rely on self-help water supply sources such as water vendors, rainwater harvesting and private boreholes. Fifty-seven (57) or 95% of the sixty (60) schools of all the schools have toilet facilities ranging from improved pit latrine (10%), flush toilet (31.7%) and pour flush toilet (53.3%). With respect to toilet cleaning, 33%, 17% and 50% of private, government and mission school clean their toilets every day. Fifty-five percent (55%) of all schools always provide handwashing facilities while 13.3% never provide handwashing facilities. Based on school category, the distribution of schools that provide handwashing facilities are as follows: private schools – 54.2%, government schools – 40% and mission schools – 75%. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.85) between availability of toilet facilities and provision of handwashing facilities. There was also a significant correlation (r = 0.555) between the provision of handwashing facilities and the provision of soap.

Author Biography

C. C. Nnaji, University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

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