1. Three Star Approach for WASH in Schools In Afghanistan
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Afghanistan Conference on Sanitation
2016
Three Star Approach for WASH in Schools In Afghanistan
Presenter: Dr.Jamal Naser Omar

2. Presentation Contents
Overview: Goals- principles- Steps
Demonstration of the Stars in 3 schools in Kabul
Activates for demonstration of three star in schools in Kabul
The three schools (in Kabul) meet standard
Over all WASH in School Challenges in country
SUGGESTION: for Ensuring Sustainability through MOE

3. Overview: Goals
Improve the effectiveness of hygiene behavior change programme for children
Ensure that schools meet essential criteria for ensuring a healthy environment
The approach can be sustainably expanded countrywide at low cost

4. Overview: Principals
The approach ensures that healthy habits are taught, practiced and integrated into daily school schedules
A fundamental principle behind the approach is that expensive WASH infrastructure in schools is not necessary to meet health goals
keep it simple, scalable and sustainable

5. Step One is the most important step
Overview: Steps
Committing to the concept and
moving from a “no star school” to a
One Star school
2. Progressing from one to two to three stars
Step One is the most important step

6. Overview: Demonstration of the Stars in schools in Kabul
Frequently handwashing, daily toilet cleaning, drinking water
One star + HWWS after toilet use, improved toilets, MHM and safe drinking water
Two star + school facilities and systems upgraded to meet national standards

7. Overview: activates for demonstration of three star in schools in Kabul
UNICEF Afghanistan supported MOE to demonstrate the local version of the Three Star Approach in three girls schools (1)(Manochehri (2) Bibi Mehro, (3) Umul Banin girls’ schools) in Kabul in 2014
Before starting any intervention in the three schools, regular meetings on improved hygiene and sanitation with school staff and a group of students were conducted
A committee selected and named (WASH in school Champions)

8. Continue
The school staff and a group of girls were consulted during the implementation and implementation was strongly monitored
Regular monitoring visits took place by MOE and UNICEF
During the visits it was observed and about 20 students and schools staff were interviewed from each school in 2015
The team found that the 80% of the students/schools are involved in the maintenance and schools.

9. Continue:
Although the team ( MOE –UNICEF) try to involve community, as community participation is crucial sustainability.
Challenges in this particular project:
Low community participation is a key challenge
The process for demo of three star was very lengthy in MOE

10. The Schools (in Kabul) meeting standard
Interventions
Result
School facilities upgraded to meet the national standard
Social norms and good hygiene is established
The school is able to offer full accessibility to WASH for all students including children with different abilities
MOE agreed to eliminate the iniquities in schools by ensuring all schools in the country have same standard

11. Over all WASH in School Challenges in country
The taboo around the topic of sanitation keep it up all over In Afghanistan
the school toilet is often perceived as a dirty, smelly and an uncomfortable place
A survey among students in Kabul -2010) shown that an alarming 75 % of the interviewed students avoid using their school sanitation facilities and even try to drink less in order to avoid going to the toilet.
In many schools the facilities are not functioning properly, and there is often a lack of water and annul cleaning material, soap and dustbins.

12. Over all WASH in School Challenges in country
The WASH in school is not priority for most of the communities.
The situation in many schools unacceptable to the level, that there is no toilet for students and teachers to use.
Psychical infresturacher may exist but not maintained well
No management in place to keep the facilities clean every day

13. SUGGESTION: for Ensuring Sustainability through MOE
Prioritization and investment plan needs to be develop and approve by MOE
Official acceptance and formalization of the approach by MOE authorities, take the lead to conduct the benchmark country wide and plan for scaling up
Establishment of Certification and monitoring system.
Develop indicators to measure the progress on the indicators for each star.

14. Adoption and piloting of three star approach-2014 in Kabul

15. Thank You