On the Ground

Sriperumbudur is an urban panchayat located in the Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu. While the state government, through its education department, has launched various initiatives to improve the quality of education, significant challenges persist in public schools.

The most critical issue is the lack of safe water infrastructure, adequate sanitation, and poor hygiene practices. This situation underscores the pressing need to invest in infrastructure upgrades and promote best practices to create a healthier and more conducive learning environment that supports socioeconomic development.

Many schools struggle to operate due to an insufficient water supply and inadequate sanitation, including broken toilets and severely deteriorated handwashing stations. The region faces a high risk of waterborne diseases, which further increases school absenteeism. The most affected are adolescent girls, who lack safe and private facilities for menstrual hygiene management.

In some schools, the gap between student enrollment and available sanitation infrastructure is especially severe, exacerbating these challenges.

The two public schools involved in the project are located in the towns of Parandhur and Thenneri. They serve over 950 students who suffer from these deficiencies and urgently need the construction of new, hygienic, gender-separated sanitation facilities. These schools do not meet the standards of the Swachh Vidyalaya (Clean School) programme, launched in 2014 by the Government of India as part of the national Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India) campaign.

Urgent action is required to provide more sanitation units, install handwashing stations, and establish a Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) laboratory for adolescent girls.

In Detail

The added value of this project lies in its integrated approach to improving sanitation infrastructure, increasing access to safe drinking water, and disseminating knowledge on hygiene practices in schools. Additionally, the project includes the installation of a rainwater harvesting system to support aquifer recharge and environmental protection.

The project not only focuses on developing WASH infrastructure in schools and homes, but also on building intensive systems to ensure ownership and sustainability of the facilities. In addition to the improved infrastructure, great emphasis is placed on strengthening knowledge and promoting behavioural change around hygiene among students.

Improved facilities — such as newly constructed handwashing stations and toilets — play a key role in encouraging behavioural change among students. These enhanced facilities provide a clean and comfortable environment, raising awareness of hygiene. Accessible, well-equipped installations promote regular handwashing and proper sanitation practices, ensuring privacy, especially for girls. By addressing these basic needs, students develop a positive attitude toward personal hygiene, generating a lasting impact on their health and behaviour.

Strengthening School Management Committees (SMCs) is essential for maintaining WASH facilities in schools. Empowered SMCs actively participate in decisions regarding maintenance and infrastructure improvement. They oversee the proper use of resources for constructing and maintaining facilities, such as toilets and handwashing stations.

They also engage with the school community to raise awareness about preserving these facilities, fostering a sense of responsibility and ownership.

By involving SMCs in planning, monitoring, and maintenance, schools can establish sustainable practices that foster a clean and healthy environment for students.

The creation of a Child Cabinet in schools further supports the maintenance of these facilities. This student-led group can serve as a promoter and leader of hygiene practices in the school community. By involving students in decision-making, the project promotes responsibility and ownership.

The Child Cabinet can also take part in environmental protection through Mission Life, an initiative by the Government of India aimed at combating climate change. The Cabinet also aligns with Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0, ensuring coherence and synergy in improving sanitation and hygiene awareness.

WASH education and awareness, together with Information, Education and Communication (IEC) strategies, are integrated into the school curriculum, ensuring continuous learning about hygiene practices.

The involvement of local partners — including the School Management Committee, local government, and the Child Cabinet — throughout the entire project cycle, from conceptualisation to post-implementation, ensures a school-led approach, alignment with local regulations, and continuity of operations. This collaborative model fosters ownership, promotes sustainability, and enhances the project’s overall impact on improving school sanitation and knowledge dissemination.

Sustainability Outlook

This project prioritises sustainability. It extends beyond infrastructure to focus on behavioural change and the integration of best practices, ensuring community ownership and long-term impact.

By strengthening School Management Committees (SMCs) and Child Cabinets, schools can establish sustainable practices that maintain a clean and healthy environment for students and ensure long-term viability, empowering children and communities to maintain WASH facilities over time.

Moreover, the interventions are designed to strengthen existing government systems, ensuring long-term sustainability. Government stakeholders will be involved from the outset and closely engaged throughout the project to ensure accountability and continuity upon its completion.

Constructing or renovating toilets in schools is relatively simple, but making them functional and used requires a shift in mindset and behaviour across a large group of children, as well as strong commitment from educators.