Evaluating the Impact of (WASH) Program on Education in the New Juaben North Municipal of Ghana: Evidence from SDA College Demonstration Basic Schools

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the impact of the water, sanitation and hygiene systems (WASH) programme at the Seventh–Day Adventist College of Education Demonstration Basic Schools in the New Juaben North Municipal Assembly. The study sought to assess the causes of inefficiencies in the WASH programme at the Demonstration Basic Schools in the New Juaben North Municipal Assembly; examine the effects of the inefficiencies on the learners at the schools, and suggest appropriate strategies to improve the WASH programme. The researcher employed a qualitative approach to achieve these objectives. The population included headteachers, teachers and learners for the study. The study used the purposive sampling technique to select 8 participants for the study. This comprised three (3) head teachers, two (2) teachers and three (3) learners from the school. The findings from the study showed that challenges that confront the WASH programme at the schools were inadequate water supply, poor sanitation and hygiene systems, lack of adequate handwashing points, unclean and not properly maintained toilets, lack of quality toilet facilities, lack of menstrual hygiene management (MHM), inadequate sanitary materials, and unhygienic toilet conditions. It is recommended that the government and authorities should improve the WASH system in the school. Moreover, adequate WASH facilities should be provided considering the various guidelines for WASH to ensure that facilities are adequate, sufficient, accessible, and safe for use by learners. Also, the Ghana Education Service should infuse sanitation education into the new or existing curriculum