The Implementation of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

(WASH) in Schools (WinS): An Evaluation

Luzviminda G. Rivera, RN, LPT, DPA
Department of Education –Tarlac Province/Division Office
[email protected]

Abstract: The study evaluated the implementation of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
in Schools (WinS) of Tarlac Province for SY 2017-2019. The study used mixed method research
using descriptive method and qualitative approaches. The questionnaire, documentary analysis,
focus group discussion, interview and observation were used in the data gathering. The study
revealed that WinS implementation on its five (5) areas (water, sanitation, hygiene, deworming
and health education) and online monitoring system were highly implemented while the
performance of the steering structure and support system were very satisfactory. In addition,
the study also revealed that the inclusion of the WinS to other programs namely: Oplan
Kalusugan (OK) sa DepED, School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP), Essential Health Care
Program (EHCP) and School – Based Management (SBM) System were highly implemented or
60-80 % implementation. Furthermore, the achievements of the 3-star rubrics in the
implementation of WinS based on its steps was rated as almost fully attained or 60-80%
attainment. There were problems encountered in the implementation of the WinS, thus proposed
interventions measures were formulated.

Key Words: Wash in Schools ; Oplan Kalusugan sa DepED; Essential Health Care Program;
School-Based Feeding Program, School-Based Management System.

INTRODUCTION diarrhea, respiratory infections, skin diseases, worm

infections and dental caries are very common,
The advocacy on the promotion of correct considered normal, socially accepted therefore
hygiene and sanitation practices among school neglected. (Monse, 2010).
children and a clean environment has been the In the Philippines, the DepEd Order No.65,
government’s priority through the Department of s. 2009 states that the most common hygiene
Education to keep the learners safe and healthy, deficiency related infectious diseases in public
excel academically and develop to be productive schools are due to inadequate water and functional
citizens in the country. sanitary facilities, if unattended, these will lead to
The world’s problematic environment has malnutrition, poor physical growth and other
impacts on children particularly in health and diseases like anemia, toothache among others.
academic performance that trapped in a cycle of In 2016, the Department of Education issued
diseases and poverty for a lifetime . Nearly 90% of the DepED Order No. 10, “Policy and Guidelines on the
world’s school -aged children live in low and middle Comprehensive WASH in Schools Program for the
income countries where living conditions often result promotion of correct hygiene and sanitation practices
in high prevalence of poverty-related diseases. among school children and a clean environment in
Whether at school or home, overcrowded buildings, and around schools to keep learners safe and healthy.
lack of clean water and sanitation facilities, poor The WinS has six goals namely: prevent
awareness and poor personal hygiene practices are hygiene related disease, promote health seeking
the root causes of many diseases; and so is the lack of behavior and life skills, improve attendance and
healthy and balanced diet. Infectious diseases like participation, help them thrive and learn better,
 promote gender equality, affecting children’s right to 2.2 Essential Health Care Program (EHCP)
health while its five (5) areas namely: water, 2.3. School-Based Feeding Program
sanitation, hygiene, deworming and health education 2.4 School-Based Management System
with critical indicators in each areas and the schools (SBM)
will be rated according to the three (3)- star rubrics. 3.) What are the problems encountered in the
In the Department of Education-Tarlac implementation of the program?
Province, to facilitate the implementation of the 4.) What intervention measures could be proposed to
WinS program, advocacy, capacity building to the improve the program.
technical staff, program administrators and
implementers, parents and stakeholders were done.
WinS monitoring and validation were also done to
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
assess the implementation of the program. This study aimed to evaluate the
Given the above cited situations, the implementation of the WinS Program in the Schools
researcher decided to conduct an evaluation on the Division of Tarlac Province so that better program
implementation of the WinS program in the division. implementation would be rendered in the schools of the
To provide a concrete data and determine the division for the coming school years. Furthermore, this
implementation of the program in terms of its areas, study would be very significant in providing updated
online monitoring system, star rubrics, steering data in laying out better plans, valuable suggestions,
structures and support system. In addition, the study recommendations and intervention measures that
also aims to determine the 3- star rubrics rating are could help improve the program implementation that
being achieved. Furthermore, an intervention is beneficial to the Department of Education – Tarlac
measures will be proposed to facilitate and Province, learners, health and nutrition personnel,
improvement and successful implementation of WinS public-private partnerships with Local Government
for the succeeding years. Units, Government and Non-Government
Organizations and for future researchers in conducting
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM a most deeper study after years of the implementation
of the program that will underscore areas that has not
Statement of the Problem been studied in this research.

This study evaluated the implementation of METHODOLOGY

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools (WinS)
Program in the Schools Division of Tarlac Province. This study used mixed method research
design using descriptive method and qualitative
Specifically, the study seeks to answer the approaches. The questionnaire was the major
following questions: instrument of gathering the data needed. The study
also used documentary analysis and personal
1. How may the WinS Program be described and interviews to the respondents to validate the
evaluated in terms of: accuracy and reliability of the data gathered. Focus
1.1.areas group discussions (FGD) was also conducted to
1.2. online monitoring system (OMS) selected respondents and stakeholders in the division
1.5 steps in the achievement of 3-star rubrics to probe into program features or processes that have
considerable effect on whether the school attained the
2.)What is the level of implementation of the programs goal or not. There are 99 respondents of the
WinS Program in its inclusion to other study. Thirty -three are central school principals for
programs 33 districts in the elementary level, 33 school
2.1 Oplan Kalusugan sa DepED principals in the secondary level and the 33 school
health personnel. The questionnaire was validated Table 3
through its face and content by three (3) research Scale for Level of Implementation of WinS Inclusion
experts and reliability tested using the Cronbach’s to other Programs
Alpha based on the Standardized items was
.965367221 with 82 -items Excellent Internal Point Scale Index Limit Descriptive
Consistency. Rating
5 4.50 – 5.00 Very High
DATA ANALYSIS Implementation
4 3.50 – 4.49 High
Data collected in this study were analyzed
3 2.50 – 3.49 Moderate
using the following statistical techniques: frequency
2 1.50 – 2.49 Fair
and percentage.
1 1.00 – 1.49 Poor
1. The use of percentage (%)

2. The mean was also used in the study. Table 4

Scale for Problems Encountered by the Respondents
The following were the scale used for the
evaluation of the WinS . Percentage Descriptive Rating
81-100% Always a Problem
Table 1 61-80% Almost Always a Problem
Scale for Implementation of WinS Areas and
41-60% Occasionally a Problem
Steps in the achievement of 3-star rubrics rating
21-40% Seldom a Problem
0-20% Never a Problem
Point Index Limit Descriptive
Scale Rating
5 4.50 – 5.00 Very High RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Implementation
4 3.50 – 4.49 High 1. The Description and Evaluation of the
3 2.50 – 3.49 Moderate Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) n
2 1.50 – 2.49 Fair Schools (WinS)
1 1.00 – 1.49 Poor The program has been described and
evaluated in terms of its area namely: water,
Table 2 sanitation, hygiene, deworming and health education
Scale for Performance of Steering Structure and with 17 scoring points uploading in the online
Support System monitoring system, steering structure, support
system and its steps in the achievement of the three
Point Index Limit Descriptive
(3) -star rubrics rating.
Scale Rating
5 4.50 – 5.00 Outstanding
1.1. Areas of WinS
4 3.50 – 4.49 Very Satisfactory
3 2.50 – 3.49 Satisfactory The areas of WinS are composed of Water,
2 1.50 – 2.49 Fair Sanitation, Hygiene, Deworming and Health
1 1.00 – 1.49 Poor Education.
According to the respondents, the overall
level of implementation of areas of WinS was highly
implemented due to support of the program
administrators, program implementers and school
health personnel in partnership with the partnership annual Performance Implementation Review of the
with the Parents Teachers Association (PTA, WinS Program. The steering structure are being
Government organization (GO’s), non-Government headed by the Chief of the Schools Governance and
organizations’ (NGO’s), Local Government Units and Operations and Curriculum Implementation Division
Provincial Government of Tarlac to ensure the (CID).
promotion, improvement and sustenance of the The Performance of the Steering Structures
program implementation particularly int the of WinS very satisfactory due to their untiring
construction of the school health and nutrition support in the advocacy, creation of WinS-TWG in the
facilities in the areas of water, sanitation, hygiene, division and school levels, provision of technical
deworming and health education to continuously assistance, monitoring and evaluation, submission of
meet the standard and requirements needed in each the report to the regional office and the conduct of
areas to provide a school environment that is safe and Program Implementation Review.
free of vector-borne diseases leading to a school
environment that is conducive to learning. 1.4 Support System
The Support System in the implementation
1.2 Online Monitoring System of WinS are Monitoring and Evaluation ,Technical
Assistance System integrated and SDO Learning
Uploading in the Online Monitoring System
Resource Development and Management System)
is a step to determine the school’s 3-star rubric rating
The support system was rated very
in accordance to the 5 areas and its 17 scoring points.
satisfactory and it includes the Monitoring and
The uploading to WinS online monitoring
Evaluation system, Technical Assistance System
system (OMS) was rated by the respondents as high
integrated in WinS and the SDO Learning Resource
implementation. According to the respondents, high
Development and Management System because of
implementation of the WinS online monitoring
the successful implementation of the program in the
system was a result of continuous assistance exerted
schools of the division as evidenced by the
by the school health personnel in the capacity
representation of the division to the 7th International
building and reorientation on the WinS online
Learning Exchange participated by the delegates in
monitoring system and the hands-on assistance
the Asia-Pacific Region
extended by the WinS division focal person. P
According to the WinS Accomplishment Report of 1.5 Steps in the Achievement of 3-star
DepED-Tarlac Province and the UNICEF WinS rubric rating
OMS, the accomplishment of OMS of the division was
increased from 0 in 2017 to 86. 85 % in the Steps in the achievement of the 3-star rubric
elementary level and 68. 12% in the secondary level rating of Wins is vital to the successful
while the 2019 accomplishment in the OMS is still on- implementation of the program. The steps are the
going. following with its activities: Preparation (Gather
School WinS Technical Working Group (TWG) and
1.3 Performance of the Steering Orient or review of the indicators and 3-star steps),
Structure Self-Assessment (Check 5 crucial WinS indicators,
The steering Structure are from the division complete the monitoring form and review results),
personnel that Provide technical assistance to Validation (SDO looks closely at 3-star schools,
districts and schools in coordination with partners; documents review and visits and observation)
conduct training and capacity development for Recognition
implementers, undertake program advocacy with According to the respondents, there was a high
LGUs; submit an annual report consolidating yearly implementation in all the steps in the achievement of
reports, create a WinS TWG for better 3-star rubric rating because of the support of the
implementation of the program and conduct an steering structure of the division and the very
satisfactory support system, capacity building and According to the respondents, SBFP in its
technical assistance extended by the health and inclusion to WinS is highly implemented in its areas
nutrition personnel, regular and consistent such as water, sanitation, hygiene, deworming and
monitoring and validation done by the steering health education. The successful implementation of
structures and health and nutrition personnel to the SBFP depends on the provision of the facilities
closely monitor, check, evaluate and validate the such as handwashing and toothbrushing facilities,
schools in their performance of 3-star rubric rating conduct of toothbrushing and handwashing
and the performance motivation through the activities, funding of supplies, repair and
awarding and recognition to the schools. maintenance, conduct of deworming and the health
education that facilitate the achievement of the
2. Level of Implementation of the WinS health seeking behavior of the beneficiaries.
Program in its inclusion to other
programs 2.3 Inclusion of WinS in SBM
School-Based Management System -Wins
The WinS implementation is being included Conceptual framework focuses on the four ACCESS
or closely implemented with other programs namely: principles of SBM namely: leadership and
Essential Health Care Program (EHCP), School- governance, management of resources, curriculum
Based Feeding Program (SBFP) and School-Based instruction and accountability and continuous
Management (SBM) System . This means that fund improvement.
for the implementation of the program is interplaying According to the respondents, the WinS
to other program implementation inclusion to SBM was highly implemented. They
stressed that the four ACCESs principles SBM to
2.1 Inclusion of WinS in EHCP Wins such as leadership and governance, curriculum
Essential Health Care Program, is a cost and instruction, accountability and continuous
effective and evidenced based program with its improvement and management of resources played a
components such as handwashing, toothbrushing vital role in the successful implementation of WinS
and deworming. in the areas of water, sanitation, hygiene, deworming
The inclusion of WinS in EHCP was highly and health education.
implemented. According to the respondents it was
highly implemented in its five (5) areas such as 3.Problems Encountered
water, sanitation and hygiene in the conduct of There were problems encountered in the
handwashing, toothbrushing activities , deworming implementation of the program namely: insufficient
and health education which aimed also in promoting Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses for
the areas of WinS in the schools of the division repair and maintenance of health and nutrition
through the successful partnerships with the Parents facilities , no available funds for securing health and
Teachers Association (PTA, Government nutrition certificates were occasionally a problem
organization (GO’s), non-Government organization’s while no available funds for securing health and
(NGO’s), Local Government Units and Provincial nutrition certificates, having a hard time to
Government of Tarlac., coordinate with other agency particularly in securing
health and nutrition certificates, unsupportive
2.2 Inclusion of WinS in SBFP parents for the conduct of deworming, Unsupportive
School-Based Feeding Program is the most parents for the construction of health and sanitation
budgeted and prime program of DepEd to decrease facilities, national standards too high/difficult to
severely wasted and wasted learners in the education achieve, low value/Priority given to projects by the
populace. It also aims to achieve the internalization school administrator and Lack of ownership and
of health seeking behavior to the beneficiaries.
 accountability of the schools for WASH in schools collaborating, networking and partnership with
were considered as seldom a problem. the Provincial Government of Tarlac, Local
Government Units (LGU’s) Government
CONCLUSIONS Organization (GO’s) and Non-Government
Organization (NGO’s).
The conclusions derived from the findings of
the study.
3. Prioritization of the MOOE for theWinS
implementation particularly in the health and
1. The study revealed that the WinS
nutrition facilities and tap stakeholders to help in
implementation in its areas and steps in the
the construction of the health and nutrition
achievement of three (3) -star rubrics rating were
facilities needed in WinS.
highly implemented while the performance of the
steering structure and support system were very 4. Allocation of school canteen proceeds for securing
satisfactory the health and nutrition certificates. and request
for the conduct of meeting with the Municipal
2. The level of implementation of the WinS in its Mayor properly coordinated to the Municipal
inclusion to other programs such as Oplan Councilor in-charge for education to facilitate the
Kalusugan sa DepED, Essential Health Care smooth application of the above mentioned
Program, School-Based Feeding Program and certificates.
School-Based Management System were highly
implemented or 60-80% implementation. 5. Conduct advocacy and consultation on deworming
solicit support from the Parents Teachers
3. There were problems encountered in the Association for the construction of health and
implementation of the program. nutrition facilities.

4. Intervention measures were formulated to 6. Studies of similar undertaking are encouraged by

address the implementation and sustain the the researcher giving emphasis on the behavior
program implementation for the succeeding changes of the learners focusing on the effective
years. carry over of these learned health practices in the
school to the home and community of the
RECOMMENDATIONS indigenous peoples.
Based on the findings of the study, the following
recommendations were offered:
References
DepED Order No. 10, “s, 2016 on policy and
1. The implementation of WinS in DepED -Tarlac Guidelines on the Comprehensive WASH
Province must be sustained to achieved its very in Schools Program Retrieved from
high implementation spearheaded by the Schools www.deped.gob.ph/orders/do 10 s. 2016
Division Superintendent/
DepED Order No. 65 s. 2009 on Essential Health
2. The Schools Governance Operations Division - Care Program Retrieved from
School Health Unit through continuous capacity www.deped.gov.ph/orders/do 65 s 2009
building, providing technical assistance, specific Monse, Bella (2010). Manual for Teachers for the
target action planning, program implementation Implementation of the Essential Health
review , monitoring and evaluation to the Care Program in Schools. Cagayan de Oro,
successful implementation of the program in its Philippines
achievement to the national standards