Por Wilhelm Dalaison, Beatriz Toribio, Sabine Rieble, María Loreto Biehl
Water in schools is essential, not only for drinking but also for hand washing, cooking, and hygiene. In Latin-America and the Caribbean there is an existing wide gap in the access to potable water services, especially in rural and remote areas. The COVID-19 pandemic has left in evidence a long-lasting need for safe water and showed the big and hidden issue: many schools having either no access or insufficient and bad quality water[1]. Moreover, extreme droughts and premature drying up of water resources has evidenced a poor resilience to climate change and called for action to improve water and sanitation services.
According to UNESCO and IDB (2020) drinking water coverage is very uneven within the countries: in urban areas it is estimated at 82.3% while in rural areas it decreases to 41.7%[2]. According to the latest data from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program as of 2021[3], 47% of schools in Nicaragua do not have access to drinking water, a percentage that in the case of rural schools rises to 54%. In Colombia, the gap widens between urban and rural areas, while in average 26% of schools do not have access to basic water services, in rural areas this percentage accounts for 45% of the schools.
The IDB has supported improvements in water infrastructure in the region since 1959, especially aiming to bridge gaps in disadvantaged communities. In recent years, the Bank has been working with some countries in expanding sustainable drinking water access to schools. This is an enormous challenge, and requires investment, imagination, and long-term vision. Below we show a few examples of what the IDB is doing in the region:
In Panamá, the IDB is improving the water storage capacity in 1,034 schools in rural and indigenous communities (Emberá Wounaan, Guna Yala and Ngabe Buglé) but lack capacity to serve all students enrolled. This project will improve the continuity of access to water, greatly needed, especially during the dry season and to comply with covid-19 sanitary measures. Additionally, Panamá has identified new water sources – including water harvesting and ground water for 32 remote schools and installed an in-situ treatment plant to ensure drinking water. Actions such as outreach with the community – done with native language speakers –; and organized parents’ committees have been key to promote adequate operation and maintenance of the new water systems and are essential to ensure their sustainability.
In Guyana, the IDB targeted 26 schools and 13 schools with dormitories to improve access to drinking water in the Hinterland regions. A comprehensive assessment was conducted to identify the main works needed in each school. Civil works range from improving the capacity of water storage, rehabilitation of plumbing system and installation of hygiene and sanitary care solutions (hand washing sinks, toilet roll holders, soap dispensers, etc.). None of these schools and dorms have access to drinking water therefore a in-situ treatment system will be provided.
Based on previous experience, the Education Division, the Water and Sanitation Division, and the Social Infrastructure Group of the IDB are working on new tools and data to improve and extend these services to other Latin-American and Caribbean countries. Specially, we are conducting an analysis to identify how countries in the region survey the quality of water infrastructure and to provide them with tools for data collection. At the same time, we are finalizing a report with concrete recommendations and best practices for urban and rural schools on how to improve the school’s water and sanitation infrastructure.
To guarantee safe and sufficient water in schools, initiatives must be coordinated with other measures such as efficient use of resources, and good operation and maintenance practices. These are necessary for sustainable investment and environmental protection.
Increasing climate resilience in the region is a fundamental pillar of the IDB Group´s Vision 2025. Climate change and global health threats has challenged us to use water resources in a smart and responsible way to achieve sustainable and resilient systems. Investing in drinking water in schools is key to achieving sustainability goals but fundamentally to providing with a safe learning environment.
[1] Strategies for school reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic
[2] Reabrir las escuelas en América Latina y el Caribe: claves, desafíos y dilemas para planificar el retorno seguro a las clases presenciales
[3] Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in schools (2000-2021 data update)
Wilhelm Dalaison: Wilhelm is a Social Infrastructure Specialist of Infrastructure and Energy Sector at the IDB and he coordinates the Social Infrastructure Group since September 2020. Since joing the Group en 2017, he has worked supporting the preparation and execution of Social Sector programs in several countries in the region, with a close focus on projects in Argentina, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru, among others. Additionally, he works on sustainable infrastructure and green procurement matters, as well as on the systematization of good practices for project execution through the design of tools aimed at improving land selection, design development and provision of public services, especially in remote areas. Previously, he served as technical coordinator at UNOPS for healthcare infrastructure projects, in Colombia and El Salvador, and has carried out teaching and research activities in health facility planning at the University of Buenos Aires. In addition, he has experience in healthcare infrastructure projects in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Wilhelm is an Architect from the University of the Republic of Uruguay and a Specialist in Health Facility Planning from the University of Buenos Aires.
Beatriz Toribio: Beatriz es consultora del Sector de Infraestructura y Energía (INE). Como miembro del Grupo de Infraestructura Social (gIS), ha trabajado en el apoyo a la preparación y ejecución de operaciones en varios países de la región. Se especializa en temas de agua potable, saneamiento e higiene (WASH) y sostenibilidad. Anteriormente trabajó para el gobierno nacional de Argentina en la Secretaría de Infraestructura y Política Hídrica. Beatriz es ingeniera civil de la Universidad Tecnológica Nacional y es candidata a máster en Planificación y Gestión de la Ingeniería Urbana de la Universidad de Buenos Aires y la Universidad Tecnológica Nacional.
Sabine Rieble: Sabine Rieble – Aubourg es Especialista Principal en Educación en el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) en Washington DC. Actualmente es el punto focal de la coordinación de programas de educación del Banco en Haití y jefa de equipo para operaciones en Barbados y Trinidad y Tobago. Sabine ha trabajado en el Sector de Educación en el Caribe de habla Inglesa, incluyendo Guyana, Barbados, Bahamas, Trinidad y Tobago y Jamaica. Trabajó durante ocho años en las representaciones del BID en Haití y Trinidad y Tobago. Desde marzo de 2013, ha vuelto a liderar el equipo de educación en Haití luego de haber diseñado el programa del Banco para el sector de educación después del terremoto de 2010. Ha publicado artículos sobre la autonomía de trabajadores, tecnología y su impacto al trabajo. Sabine Rieble-Aubourg obtuvo su doctorado en Sociología de la Universidad de Indiana en Bloomington, Indiana (EE.UU.). Completó sus estudios de licenciatura en Administración de Empresas y Sociología en la Universidad de Mannheim en Alemania.
María Loreto Biehl: María Loreto Biehl es Psicóloga y se desempeña como especialista líder de Educación del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID). Con más de quince años de experiencia en el Banco, ha liderado y colaborado en el diálogo técnico, y en el diseño y la ejecución de proyectos para mejorar los aprendizajes de niñ@s y jóvenes, en Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Uruguay y Costa Rica donde se desempeña actualmente. Previo a su trabajo en el BID, se desempeñó como psicóloga educativa y docente realizando funciones de asesoramiento curricular, acompañamiento docente, y atención psicopedagógica.
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