Context: Recently, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged irregularities in the construction of toilets in schools by Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) in an audit report tabled before Parliament.
Key takeaways

• The CAG audit conducted a physical survey of a sample of 2,695 toilets built by CPSEs in 15 States.
• Out of the 1,967 schools surveyed, 99 schools had no functional toilets while 436 had only one functional toilet.
• Thus, the objective of providing separate toilets for boys and girls was not fulfilled in 27% of the schools.
• Norm for daily cleaning (at least once a day) not followed: 75% of toilets 
• No running water facilities inside: 72% of constructed toilets 
• No hand washing facilities: 55% of the toilets
• Almost 40% of toilets were non-existent, partially completed or unused.

Importance of School Toilets

• Constitutional Promises: As mandated by the Right to Education Act, all children are required to spend six hours in school every day. During this period, they would want to use the toilets.
• The Act mandates that all schools must have separate toilets for boys and girls.

Health & Nutrition: The provision of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in school secures a healthy school environment and protects children from illness and exclusion.

• Hygiene in school also supports school nutrition.
• The simple act of washing hands with soap before eating the school mid-day meal assists to break disease transmission routes.

Enrolments & Dropouts: Lack of toilets for girls, is a reason for dropouts. A school latrine generally increased female enrolment more than male enrolment.

Child as a Change Agent: Having a clean school fosters a child’s pride in his or her school and community.

• It enables every child to become an agent of change for improving water, sanitation and hygiene practices in their families and within their community.

Additional Information
Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan

• Launched by: Ministry of Education in September 2014.
• Aim: To have separate toilets for boys and girls in all schools all over India.
• The programme norms required the CPSEs to build toilets with running water and hand washing facilities.
• Currently, there are 10.8 lakh government schools in the country. Overall, more than 1.4 lakh toilets have been built by 53 CPSEs, with significant support coming from power, coal and oil companies as part of the Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan.

Road Ahead

• Regular monitoring is essential for the success of such a programme related to basic facilities. In addition to an adequate provision of funds, cleaning, sanitation training, maintenance of toilets and other things, the issue of fixing accountability must be addressed. Else we will keep visiting the basic issues over and over again, reformulating strategies and recommissioning funds.