01363nas a2200193 4500000000100000008004100001653000900042653001200051653001400063653001100077653001100088100001100099700001300110245007800123856003300201300001200234490000700246520091600253 2018 d10aWASH10aSchools10aEducation10aZambia10aGender1 aAgol D1 aHarvey P00aGender differences related to WASH in schools and educational efficiency. uhttps://tinyurl.com/ybfk3ru9 a284-2960 v113 a

Understanding Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in schools from gender perspectives is fundamental in development. This paper tests the hypothesis that improved WASH in schools can lead to educational efficiency and progression especially for teenage girls. The hypothesis was tested using quantitative data collected through an Education Management Information System (EMIS) for just over 10,000 schools in Zambia, Southern Africa. Relationships between WASH provision in schools and repetition and drop-out ratios were investigated, disaggregated by gender and grade. The analysis revealed that lack of WASH leads to high rates of repetition and dropout in school for girls, compared to boys especially from the age of 13 and in grades 6, 7 and 8. This affirms the importance of providing adequate supply of WASH facilities in schools to facilitate educational efficiency and progression of girls.