Schools and monastic institutions across the country can soon expect improved access to clean water, proper sanitation, and sound hygiene practices. The Ministry of Education and Skills Development and the Dratshang Lhentshog have introduced the National Standards for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) for these institutions. The framework was launched recently in Samtse.
Currently, most of the schools and monastic institutions in the country do not meet the basic WASH criteria. Many facilities don’t have adequate access to clean drinking water, proper sanitation facilities, and hygiene education. The newly launched standards aim to address these gaps by providing a unified framework for WASH facilities and services.
Kinley Penjor the project manager of the Central Monastic Body’s Religion and Health Programme said, “So far, monastic institutions under the Central Monastic Body lacked specific standards for water, sanitation, and hygiene. However, with the introduction of these new standards, we are optimistic that all religious schools and educational institutions across the country will soon have improved and consistent WASH facilities and services.” The Bhutan Toilet Organization (BTO), which will assist in monitoring the standards, said toilets in schools and monastic institutions currently vary widely in design and are often limited in number.
Chablop Passang Tshering, the Executive Director of BTO said , “In our four years of maintaining and constructing to.
