Operation and Maintenance Financing for School WASH Facilities in Guatemala

This is a case study on the financing for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of school WASH facilities in Guatemala, based on a review of documents, key informant interviews and visits to 10 rural schools in the municipality of Olopa.

In Guatemala, the Ministry of Education and municipal governments play significant roles in WASH in schools. The Ministry of Education is decentralized to the departmental level. At municipality level, municipal governments are responsible for construction and rehabilitation of school facilities. While the study observed some good practices, there are significant areas of improvement. Overall, WASH facilities were mediocre. Expenditures for the maintenance of water systems lack financial control and technical records. There was a lack of involving education supervisors from the MoE and municipal technical offices in WASH in schools. The WASH in Schools standards and the operation and maintenance norms are published, but not spread in local schools, education staff or community leaders.