The level of implementation of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices among the public basic schools in Ghana

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices have been a major challenge faced by many basic schools in Ghana for many decades. The school authority has made complaints to the Ghana government through the Ministry of Education in relation to the inadequate potable water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene practices in basic schools, to which the government has remained silent. The aim of this study was to assess the level of implementation of WASH practices in basic schools in Sunyani East Directorate. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently using questionnaires and interviews. The results indicate that hygiene and sanitation facilities available in schools under study included urinals, toilets, handwashing materials and solid waste disposal facilities. It was revealed that the type of toilet facilities present in the schools selected for was wooden slap pit latrines except in Methodist schools which have cemented slaBs. Almost all schools have cemented urinal facilities. Finally, there were no tap facilities and handwashing soaps in schools selected for our study. The study recommends that the Parent-Teacher Association, School Management Committee, District Education Directorate and Ghana Education Service should team up to provide these essential facilities to basic schools in Ghana.