In Hyderabad, a government school with over 800 students, including 500 girls, has seen a remarkable change. Clean and functional toilets, a rarity before, are now available. Students, parents, and the Principal all agree: this has been a game-changer, especially for the girls.
Students now confidently attend school daily, thanks to the clean toilets with working flushes. One student happily shares, "Our toilets are clean now, and we have someone to clean them daily." Another shyly mentions, "Our science teacher also provides us with sanitary pads from the vending machine. She taught us that periods are normal, encouraging us to attend school regularly."
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Previously, many girls missed school for 4 to 5 days during their periods, affecting their studies. Some even avoided eating and drinking to avoid using the old, unhygienic toilets. Now, they have safe drinking water with a sweet taste, filtered for their health.
Despite these improvements, the broader picture of school sanitation presents challenges. The Jal Jeevan Mission reports that 11.1% of schools lack access to potable water. Additionally, the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) shows that 4.5% of government schools lack boys' toilets, and 2.6% lack toilets for girlsUnder the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, state governments are responsible for providing adequate school infrastructure, including water and toilets.
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