EFFECT OF SANITATION AND HYGIENE PRACTICES ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MUHORONI SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Access to improved sanitation is an important component of human health and wellbeing. Minimum requirements for safe WASH in schools are not provided in most rural schools in Kenya. The current study investigated the effect of sanitation and hygiene practices on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Muhoroni Sub-County. The specific objectives were to find out the influence of availability and access to safe drinking water, availability of sanitation facilities, provision and access to hand washing facilities and provision of hygiene education on secondary school students’ academic performance. The study was anchored on Health Belief Model. Descriptive research design and mixed methodology was used. The target population was 2354 form three students and 23 teachers. Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination formula was used to obtain a sample size of 331 respondents. Questionnaires, interviews, observation and document analysis were used to collect data. Piloting was carried out in Kisumu Central sub-County. Validity was determined by consulting research supervisors while reliability was determined through the use of Cronbach Alpha. The quantitative data were analyzed by SPSS (version 25) and the findings presented using frequencies, percentages and the mean. In addition, Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Qualitative data were thematically classified and arranged before they were reported in narrations and quotations. The study found that 65.4% of the learners reported that they were using safe drinking water in their schools. In addition, 63.3% of the study participants reported that their schools had reliable, sufficient and clean water supply. It also emerged that 51.2% of the learners acknowledged that their schools had insufficient number of toilets. Additionally, 67.8% of the learners acknowledged that their schools did not have sanitation facilities which are accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. The study found that 67.1% of the learners believed that their schools had inadequate hand washing facilities while71.6% learners acknowledged that hygiene and sanitation practices could be enhanced through hygiene education. The study also found that there was a significant correlation between availability and access to safe drinking water and academic performance (r = .678; p = .000), availability of sanitation facilities and academic performance (r = .764; p = .001), provision and access to handwashing facilities and students’ academic performance (r = .506; p = .000) and provision of hygiene education and students’ academic achievement performance (r = .822; p = .000).The study concluded that availability of safe drinking water at schools reduces the likelihood of water-related illnesses, such as diarrhea or other waterborne diseases. In addition, availability to sanitation facilities influences students’ academic performance among secondary school students. The provision and access to hand washing facilities have a profound impact on students' academic performance. The study recommended that schools and education policymakers need to prioritize the provision of safe drinking water, availability of hand washing facilities and promote proper hand hygiene practices to support students' academic performance. This study would give the current WASH scenario of schools in the study area that can help ministry of education to improve the school’s WASH situation.