Operation and Maintenance Financing for School WASH Facilities in Honduras

This is a case study on the financing for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of school WASH facilities in Honduras, based on a review of documents, key informant interviews and visits to 12 rural primary schools  in Tegucigalpa province.

In Honduras, the government invests in WASH in schools mainly through the Ministry of Education (MoE), the Honduran Social Fund and Municipalities. These agencies implement school construction and rehabilitation projects. The Ministry of Health is charged with monitoring water quality at schools. Through the study, WASH in School facilities were observed to be in good condition. The 12 case study schools visited were very homogeneous in terms of the condition of WASH facilities. Observed problems with water storage such as mishandling of it by children and a seasonal lack of water. Overall, areas of improvement included formulating a clear policy for WASH in school financing and clarifying School Management Committee processes on budgeting and accessing funds for Operation and Maintenance or repairs.