Water, sanitation and hygiene standards for schools in low-cost settings

These guidelines deal specifically with water, sanitation and hygiene, and are designed to be used in schools in low-cost settings in low- and medium-resource where simple and affordable measures can significantly improve hygiene and health. They offer a basis for creating the minimum conditions required for providing schooling in a healthy environment for schoolchildren, teachers and other staff. The guidelines deal specifically with water supply, water quality, water quantity and access to water, hygiene promotion, sanitation (quality and access), control of vector-borne disease, cleaning and waste disposal, and food storage and preparation.
The word “school” is used in this document to include primary and secondary schools, boarding and day schools, rural and urban schools, and public and private schools. The common feature of all schools addressed by this document is that they are constrained by a severe lack of resources for infrastructure development. The guidelines are written for use by education managers and planners, architects, urban planners, water and sanitation technicians, teaching staff, school boards, village education committees, local authorities and similar bodies.