State of sanitation and hygiene of public primary schools in Kakamega municipality, western Kenya

Abstract

This study assessed the state of sanitation and hygiene in public primary schools in Kakamega Municipality Division. All 25 public primary schools located in Kakamega Municipality Division participated. Descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Stratified random sampling was used to select 400 pupils between class 4 and 7. Twenty five (25) teachers were purposively sampled. Study tools used were observational checklist and structured questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics including mean and cross tabulations were used. Pearson’s Chi-Square test was used to determine relationships between the variables. Approval by Institutional Research and Ethics Committee of  the Moi University and informed consent from all study participants was sought. The results indicated that the state of sanitary facilities in schools was poor, unmaintained and inadequate in almost 50% of schools. This demonstrated that investment in school infrastructure was not accorded due priority. Negative effects on pupil’s health were due to inaccessible safe drinking water and inadequate sanitary infrastructure despite pupils demonstrating acceptable levels of knowledge on personal hygiene and sanitation. As a result, pupils suffered from communicable diseases such as diarrhoea, flu and typhoid which could be prevented by improving sanitation in schools. The study concluded that physical infrastructure in schools within the study area were in a deplorable state and inadequate for the pupil population. Gaps were identified in school management of resources and enforcement of school health laws.

Keywords: Sanitation, public health, personal hygiene, municipality