School Water, Sanitation and hygieneKnoWledge, attitudeS and PracticeS Survey

Funded bythe australian government

october 2012

State of PalestineMinistry of education

School Water, Sanitation and hygieneKnoWledge, attitudeS and PracticeS Survey

Funded bythe australian government

october 2012

State of PalestineMinistry of education

School Water Sanitation and hygiene Knowledge, attitudes and Practices Survey, occupied Palestinian territory, 2011 United Nations Childrens Fund office in the occupied Palestinian territory, 2011

The School Water Sanitation and Hygiene Knowledge Attitudes and Practices Survey was conducted by the Ministry of Education and UNICEF in the occupied Palestinian territory, in 2011.

A special thanks to Dr Mohamad Rimawi, Dr. Taisser Al-Shorafa, Dr. Moammer Ishteewi, Mahmoud Matar, Munjid Suleiman, Suzan Totah, Amjad Ehmedat, Mahmoud Amarna, Samir Rajab and Sahira Danoun from the Ministry and UNICEF colleagues Bilas Dongol, Carol Awad, Jacqueline Paul, Snjezana Hansen, Candie Cassabalian and Monica Awad for making this report possible. Our deep appreciation goes to our donor the Australian Government Overseas Aid Program (AusAID) for supporting this effort.

Cover photo: UNICEF-oPt/Izhiman

October 2012

The content of this report does not necessarily reflect UNICEFs or AUSAIDs official position.

The text has not been edited to official publication standards and UNICEF and AusAID accept no responsibility for errors.

The designations in this publication do not imply an opinion on the legal status of any country or territory, or of its authorities, or the delimitation of frontiers.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Mohammed Rimawi Monica AwadMinistry of Education United Nations Childrens FundRamallah Beit Hanina, JerusalemTelephone:972-296 2853 Telephone: 972-2- 5840400Website: www.moe.gov.ps E-mail: Jerusalem@unicef.org

acronyMSeFa Education for All

KaP Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices

Moe Ministry of Education

oecd Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

oPt occupied Palestinian territory

PcBS Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics

PWa Palestinian Water Authority

uneSco The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

uniceF United Nations Childrens Fund

unrWa United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

WaSh Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

cFS Child Friendly Schools

contentS

acronyMSeXecutive SuMMary .........................................................................................................................................................................1

1.0 introduction ...............................................................................................................................................................................71.1 Background on the educational system in the oPt.......................................................................................71.2 The 2011 Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) Survey on School Water, Sanitation and Hygiene ..................................................................................................................................................................................81.3 Survey coverage .............................................................................................................................................................111.4 Reports content ..............................................................................................................................................................13

2.0 characteriSticS oF SchoolS, teacherS and StudentS ......................................................172.1 School characteristics .................................................................................................................................................172.2 Teachers characteristics ...........................................................................................................................................222.3 Students characteristics ............................................................................................................................................22Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................................23

3.0 School hygiene environMent .............................................................................................................................253.1 General environment ...................................................................................................................................................253.2 Sources of drinking water .........................................................................................................................................253.3 Sanitation facilities .........................................................................................................................................................283.4 Hand-washing facilities ...............................................................................................................................................313.5 Waste disposal .................................................................................................................................................................32Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................................32

4.0 School hygiene and health-related activitieS ...........................................................................354.1 School sanitation and hygiene education .......................................................................................................354.2 Teachers involvement with hygiene-related activities ............................................................................374.3 Parental and student involvement with hygiene-related activities ..................................................39Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................................39

5.0 StudentS KnoWledge oF ProPer hygiene haBitS ......................................................................415.1 Knowledge of protective measures against diarrhoea ...........................................................................415.2 Knowledge of hand-washing and its importance .......................................................................................425.3 Knowledge of proper toilet use ..............................................................................................................................445.4 Knowledge of cleanliness importance .............................................................................................................455.5 Access to health hygiene education at school ............................................................................................455.6 Sources of information about hygiene ..............................................................................................................46Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................................47

6.0 StudentS attitudeS toWardS ProPer hygiene haBitS .........................................................496.1 Attitude towards use of school toilet facilities ...............................................................................................496.2 Attitudes towards drinking water at school ....................................................................................................506.3 Attitudes towards hand-washing at school ....................................................................................................51Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................................51

7.0 StudentS hygiene PracticeS ...............................................................................................................................537.1 Drinking water practices ............................................................................................................................................537.2 Hand-washing practices ............................................................................................................................................547.3 Bathing and brushing teeth practices ................................................................................................................557.4 Other hygiene practices .............................................................................................................................................577.5 Discussion about hygiene behaviours ..............................................................................................................58Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................................59

8.0 concluSionS and recoMMendationS ..........................................................................................................618.1 Conclusions ..........................................................