Nepal Government Orders Action on School Toilet Sanitation After Public Outcry
Kathmandu, Nepal—The Government is stepping up efforts to improve toilet sanitation in public schools following a surge of complaints from concerned citizens. The Center for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD), under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), has issued a directive to all Education Development and Coordination Units (EDCU) to address the issue urgently.
The move came after the Center received numerous complaints from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the government’s “Hello Government” hotline, and directly from the Ministry of Education. These complaints focused on the unsatisfactory toilet facilities in government schools and offices, prompting the Ministry to take immediate action.
Specifically, the Center has instructed local-level authorities to ensure compliance with the standards outlined in Schedule 1 of the School Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Procedure, 2075. This procedure details the required standards for school sanitation facilities.
The directive, published by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology on January 24th, 2025 (2081/10/11 in the Nepali calendar), emphasizes the need for proactive measures within each district to implement these standards. The Ministry's Personnel Administration and Good Governance Promotion Branch oversees the initiative, indicating a strong governmental commitment to this issue.
This development marks a significant effort by the government to address long-standing concerns about the state of hygiene and sanitation in educational institutions. The order underscores the importance of basic amenities in providing Nepali students with a healthy and conducive learning environment. It remains to be seen how efficiently local authorities respond to this directive and what tangible improvements will result.
