EXCLUSIVE Anju Grover/ Ludhiana, 2017-06-15
One of India’s wealthiest and fastest growing state Punjab has several successful stories of sanitation rules in schools under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Many government run primary and secondary schools in different districts of Punjab have got some of the best toilet facilities resulting in an increase in the enrolment of students in schools. Kapurthala district’s Amritpur based government high school is a case in point.. The school witnessed a 25 percent increase in new enrolments and a substantial decrease in dropout rate after the school got separate toilet blocks for boys and girls. The School principal Varinderpal Singh is happy that his school has the best toilets in the entire district that got it a distinct recognition.
“ NGO Sach and HDFC bank limited had constructed toilets for boys and girls in April 2015 and handed over to us. Ever since , the presence of children including girls, has increased. There has been an increase in the enrollment of children in our school this year. The district officials who visited us few months ago conceded that the construction of new toilets has boosted the image of school in the entire area. In fact, our school has become a model school in this area”. ‘ Virendra Pal Singh, principal , government high school. “ With the construction of separate toilets for the girls has improved the enrollment of students in our schoo”, stated Amritkaur, class 9 student, government high school. Another student said that girls used to face difficulty in using toilet in winter, summer and rainy season as there was no roof over the toilet. Also the water facility was inadequate. But new toilets have proper water facility and have rooftops.”Impressed by the facilities and cleanliness, I ensure that toilet at home looks clean and hygienic”, Payal, class seven student.
Adjacent to Amritpur school is the village primary school where a separate toilet for the boys was built. Earlier, the boys would relieve themselves in the open. But now, the improved hygienic conditions have given both teachers and students a reason to cheer. “ The old toilet had urinal which was much more than my height and I had difficulty in using urinal. The new toilet has urinal which is of my height and hence I can use it easily”, said Karan Vir Singh, class 7th student. “We have got separate toilets for boys and girls and the direction of these toilets is such that girls no longer feel shy in going to toilets”, Savita Handa, school teacher.
More students have also been attracted by newly constructed toilets in Darapur based government high school in Moga district. They peddle their way to the school with confidence now. They come to school, spend time in class rooms and play in the school campus every day. Till one year back, this picture was a little different. “ We have constituted toilet monitoring committees comprising of teachers and students to ensure that new toilets are properly maintained. Students do not face difficulty in using these toilets. The water facility is available etc”, said a computer teacher.
Rural sanitation is more than building just a toilet. Sach and HDFC have constructed toilets while taking into account several factors for toilets to become user friendly. These factors were affordability, space in the school, geographical conditions – soil/water table, cultural habits, availability of water/scarcity of water and availability of skilled or semi skilled manpower.Also these toilets provide privacy for ablution, especially keeping in mind women and adolescent girls.
The construction of 181 sanitation units in 124 schools of Punjab’s ten districts has completely changed the narrative around inadequate sanitation facilities in schools resulting in diseases, dropouts at early stage and girls missing the classes. These toilets have been constructed by a Delhi based NGO Society for Action in Community Health or SACH with support from HDFC Bank Ltd through Corporate Social Responsibility initiative or CSR under Swachh Bharat Mission. Pradeep Kumar Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana district, appreciated the role of Sach and HDFC for constructing toilets in his district. According to him, this effort has contributed significantly in promoting cleanliness among the students and teachers.
All the sanitation units are children friendly with technical specifications and height of fittings and fixtures suiting their needs. For example, the height of wash basins and urinals are at a height where children can access them easily.
Following the construction of these sanitation facilities are the most vital part of schools infrastructure, SACH launched a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene or WASH project which had overpowering effect on the students regarding safe sanitation practices and behavioral change among them.
Central to this huge initiative is exclusive WASH modules prepared by SACH for the various stakeholders such as students, teachers and the community resource persons. The modules aim at inculcating safe sanitation habits in students, teachers and the community with focus on upkeep and maintenance and proper use of toilets, their monitoring and personal hygiene. At a time when India is striving to be open defecation free, the enormous efforts put in by SACH and HDFC Bank Ltd through School Sanitation Project and WASH activities will go a long way towards achieving this long cherished goal.
