Journal of Information and Computational Science ISSN: 1548-7741

IMPACT OF SANITATION ON ENROLLMENT OF GIRL STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS: A CASE STUDY OF C.D BLOCK, DISTRICT, TAMILNADU

Punitha Mary .S1 , Yuvaraj .D2 and Alaguraja .P3 1. Research Scholar, Research and Development Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 2. Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Govt. Arts College(Autonomous), Coimbatore 3. Assistant Professor, Dept.of Civil Engineering, Jai Shri Ram Engineering College, Tamilnadu

ABSTRACT One of the major problems faced by hundreds of millions school-age children is infection by parasites and flukes. These parasites consume nutrients from children they infect, bringing about or aggravating malnutrition and retarding children's physical development. Access to sanitation facilities is a fundamental right that safeguards health and human dignity. Providing such facilities at schools not only help to meet that right; it also provides the most favorable setting to encourage behaviour change in the school and in the community. The present situation in schools of the sanitary conditions in rural and urban areas in developing countries is often appalling, creating health hazards and other negative impacts, thus schools are not safe for children. Based on this study is analyzing the impact of sanitation on enrollment of girl students in high school in Alanganallur block, of , State. Questionnaire was designed based on sanitation behavior of student, sanitation facilities of school and house, sanitation on environment and sanitation enrollment on government schemes of samples of respondent were collected the qualitative information about the school students (9th std girls) survey method was used for collecting questionnaire. The aim and objective of the study was to seek information on the influence of availability of sanitary facilities on the participation of the girl’s child in high school. Based on the result of the study, they have better sanitation facilities in home and school. But, they are lack of awareness of government schemes, sanitation of environment and sanitation behavior of student. So this study is recommending the awareness programme for respondents of sanitation behaviour, sanitation environment and sanitation on government schemes. Key words: Sanitation, Impact, Enrollment, Awareness

1. INTRODUCTION

One of the major problems faced by hundreds of millions school-age children is infection by parasites and flukes. These parasites consume nutrients from children they infect, bringing about

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or aggravating malnutrition and retarding children's physical development (Blanton E). They also destroy tissues and organs in which they live causing pain and various health problems. Water and sanitation related diseases affecting children include diarrhoea, trachoma, schistosomiasis, scabies and Guinea worm. All of these have compromise children's attendance and performance at school and, not uncommonly, can result in death.

While the impact of poor sanitation and hygiene is known to be disastrous for small children, it also has an important impact on the health of school-age children including adolescents. It is obvious that lack of sanitation and hygiene is a public disaster that deserves the highest priority (Hoque Biliqis). Diseases such as diarrhoea and parasitic worm infections need to be tackled by making improvements to water and sanitation facilities. However such improvements must go hand in hand with hygiene behaviour change, if the transmission of disease is to be prevented (Hammond B).Access to sanitation facilities is a fundamental right that safeguards health and human dignity. Providing such facilities at schools not only help to meet that right; it also provides the most favourable setting to encourage behaviour change in the school and in the community.

The present situation in schools of the sanitary conditions in rural and urban areas in developing countries is often appalling, creating health hazards and other negative impacts, thus schools are not safe for children (Bowen A). Although water and sanitation facilities are recognised as fundamental for hygienic behaviour and children’s well-being, in practice, the sanitary conditions in most schools are woefully inadequate. Water supply, sanitation and hand washing facilities are either non-existent, too few or inadequate due to poor maintenance of water systems and toilets or latrines. Lack of facilities is only part of the problem. Where they are present, facilities are not adapted to the needs of children, in particular girls. Also the motivation of teachers and head teachers to provide offer skills-based hygiene education is not always evident.

Lack of facilities and poor hygiene affect both girls and boys, although poor sanitation conditions at schools have a stronger negative impact on girls. All girls should have access to safe, clean, separate and private sanitation facilities in their schools. If there are no latrines and hand-washing facilities at school or if they are in a poor state of repair, then many children would rather not attend than use the alternatives. In particular girls who are old enough to menstruate need to have adequate facilities at school and normally separate from those of boys. If they don’t they may miss school that week and find it hard to catch up, which makes them more likely to drop out of school altogether. This gave impetus to the current study. The ultimate goal was to develop recommendations to improve the hygiene and sanitation status of schools in the region by using the feedback of sample respondent on the sample study area, with particular attention to the perspectives with girl’s schools in the Alanganallur block.

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2. STUDY AREA The present study area Alanganallur is a C.D Block in Madurai district in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated between 10° and 10° 11' north latitude and 77° 59' and 78° 10' east longitude (See Figure I). It is bounded on the north by Dinigul district, south by Madurai West block, and on the south west by Vadipatti block. It has an area of 275.3 square kilometers. The present study area is located at the Northern part of Madurai District. The study area covered part of Sirumalai hills and, Erakkalamalai, Perumal malai, Sempathi Vaguthu malai. The soil type have present in young alluvial soil and red gravelly. Alanganallur block has moderate climate with no extremes. The study area has well irrigated by Periyar sub canal. The agriculture activities are carried out in about large area. Paddy, Sugar cane, Coconut and Plantain are the major crops. There is a sugar factory located within 1 km from Alanganallur. According to the 2011 census, Alanganallur C.D Block had a population of 88,785 persons with 44,649 males and 44,136 females. There were 989 women for every 1000 men. The Taluk had a literacy rate of 76.37% persons with 84.4% males and 68.3% females. There were a total of 46,616 workers of which 5,237are cultivators, 26,096 persons are engaged as agricultural laborers and 692 are engaged in house hold industries. The decadal growth of population during the years 2001 to 2011 shows a fall due to migration towards industrial centers and other family welfare schemes.

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3. METHODOLOGY

To understand the different problems faced by government school girl’s student, we decided to evaluate 10 government high / higher secondary schools in Alanganallur C.D block. Through the surveys we strived to evaluate the existing condition of sanitation facility and to identify the factors that would explain whether enrollment functions or not. Hence, our questionnaire was designed to sanitation behaviors of student, sanitation facility of schools and house, sanitation on environment and sanitation enrollment on government schemes. The samples of respondent were collected the qualitative information about the school students (9th std girls). The surveys were carried out over a period of one month and the observed that the popular problems, as described in the sanitation enrollment and results section.

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1. Sanitation Behaviors of the student

The schools in which the participants were drawn was gathered enrollment of girls in these schools is shown in Table 1. The objective of the study was to seek information on the influence of availability of sanitary facilities on the participation of the girl’s child in high schools. According to the information presented on table the majority of the respondent wear the clean dress like Kondayampatti, Alanganallur, Maniyanchi, Achampatti, Muduvarpatti, Senthamangalam, Chatravelala patti government girls student .Some of the respondent not wear the clean dress like Vellaiyampatti (1), Palamedu (6), T.Mettupatti, Muduvar (7).

Based on the result (figure 4.1), the majority of the respondent wear the tight inner wear like T.Mettupatti (20), Palamedu (12) government girls students. Some of the respondent not wears the tight inner wear like Vellaiyampatti(18), Kondayampatti, Alanganallur, Maniyanchi, Achampatti, Muduvarpatti, Senthamangalam, Chatravelala patti. The majority of using dettol for washing inner wear in Muduvarpatti remaing sample study area has few respondent using dettol for washing inner wear. Especially T.Mettupatti has not using for dettol. The respondents of Achampatti have highly the habit of exchanging the innerwear. Chatravellapatti (19), Kondayampatti(18), Achampatti(18) have giving importance to development for environment cleanliness. But, T.Mettupatti respondents are giving less importance of development for environment cleanliness.

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Table.No:1 Impact of Sanitation on Enrollment of Girl Students in High School

I. Sanitation Behaviours of Student Yes % NO % 1 Wear clean dress 186 93 14 7 2 Wear tight inner wear 68 34 132 66 3 Use dettol while washing inner wear 92 46 108 54 4 Habit of exchanging inner wear 42 21 158 79 5 Development for environment cleanliness 153 76.5 47 23.5 6 Cut your nails 170 85 30 15 7 Habit of biting nails 67 33.5 132 66 8 Habit of putting fingers inside mouth 8 4 183 91.5 9 Habit of putting fingers inside nose 9 4.5 191 95.5 10 Habit of putting fingers inside ears 44 22 156 78 11 Wash hand before having food 152 76 48 24 12 Comfortable during menstruation 68 34 132 66 13 Wear cotton dress during menstruation 122 61 78 39 14 Flush toilet before and after use 187 93.5 13 6.5 15 Clean internal organ regularly 168 84 32 16 16 Suffer from urinal infection 58 29 142 71

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17 Maintain cleanliness during menstruation 152 76 48 24

II. Sanitation Facilities of School

18 Enough space for seating arrangements 185 92.5 15 7.5 19 Sufficient drinking water 185 92.5 15 7.5 Provide you separate rooms during 20 171 85.5 29 14.5 menstruation 21 Urine control till school gets over 91 45.5 109 54.5 III. Sanitation Facilities of House

22 Preserve food and water in good containers 184 92 16 8 23 Washing toilet using antiseptic liquid 189 94.5 11 5.5 24 Facility of draining the waste water 167 83.5 33 16.5 25 Discharge the water stored in container 155 77.5 45 22.5 IV Sanitation on Environment

26 Habit of munching street food 70 35 130 65 27 Habit of putting waste into dustbin 125 62.5 75 37.5 Sanitation Enrollment on Government V. Scheme 28 Interact about the advertisement of using toilet 119 59.5 81 40.5 Heard the inner feelings (Mann ki baat) of 29 87 43.5 113 56.5 Prime ministers 30 Scavengers cleaning street 135 67.5 65 32.5 31 Beneficiary of Sukanya Samriddhi Yozana 95 47.5 105 52.5 Heard about the scheme on dispose during 32 69 34.5 131 65.5 menstruation Aware of the Chief Ministers girl child 33 93 46.5 107 53.5 protection scheme Aware of Tamil Nadu Government providing 34 157 78.5 43 21.5 grant for women’s marriage

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Moreover, all the respondents have practices of cutting nails at regular intervals. But, the habit of biting nails highly represent of respondent in T.Mettupatti(18), remaining respondent have the

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Habit of biting nails. Most of the respondent doesn’t have habit of putting fingers inside mouth and nose. The habit of putting fingers inside ears have highly present in Chatravellalapatti(19) and T.Mettupatti(20) respondents don’t have the habit of putting fingers inside ears. Maniyanji and Muduvarpatti respondent have highly represent of the wash hand before having food, but T.Mettipatti(5) have very few respondent follow the habit. Achampatti and chatravellalapatti respondent have mostly using cloth during menstruation, remaing sample area have using napkin at menstruation. The most of respondents are aware of using cotton cloth during menstruation in Chatravellalapatti(19), Muduvarpatti(17), T.Mettupatti(16), reaming respondents do not wear the cotton cloth during menstruation. Most of the respondents are aware of flushing before and after use. Moreover the respondents are aware of cleaning internal organs regularly, except the Chatravellalapatti respondents. The most of the respondents are suffering from urinal infection in Chatravellalapatti and Vellampatti respondents. The few respondents are suffering from urinal infection in remaining sample villages.

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4.2 Sanitation Facilities of School

According to the respondent are developing the sanitation facilities of the school in the present study area. The most of respondents have sufficient space for seating arrangements in the schools, except in T.Mettupatti. Moreover the respondents get sufficient amount of drinking water. The most of the respondents get separate rooms during menstruation, except Chatravellalapatti. The majority of respondents are using school toilet, but, Chatravellalapatti and Palamedu control urine till over the school get over.

4.3 Sanitation facilities of House

The sanitation facilities of the respondent’s house well and good. In this factor collected the information about the title such as the preserve food and water in good containers, washing toilet using antiseptic liquid, facility of draining the waste water and discharge of water stored in container. Based on these factors, the most of the respondents are following the preserved food and water in good containers, except Palamedu (12).The most of the respondents have used washing toilet by antiseptic liquid in home. The draining waste water facility got mostly proving the respondents houses, except Muduvarpatti. Vellayampatti, Chatravellalapatti and Palamedu don’t have the facilities of discharge of water storage container.

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4.4 Sanitation on Environment

The environment sanitation developments of the respondent’s have high practices of munching of street food and putting waste into dustbin. The most of the respondent don’t have the toilet follow the habit of munching street food, except Palamedu. In Alanganallur they have the habit of through waste into dustbin well behaves in Alanganallur. But not in Achampatti, Palamedu.

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4.5 Sanitation Enrollment on Government Scheme

The sanitation enrollments on government scheme are mostly heard the inner feelings (Mann ki baat) of Prime minister have scavengers are cleaning street, beneficiary of Sukanya Samriddhi Yozana, heard about the scheme on dispose during menstruation, aware of the Chief Ministers girl child protection scheme and aware of Tamil Nadu government providing grant for women’s marriage.

In

Kondayampatti, Maniyanchi, Achampatti Muduvarpatti. Vellayampatti, Senthamangulam, Chatravellalapatti, T.Mettupatti and Palamedu have low aware of government schemes. But in Alanganallur has high awareness of the government schemes, except heard the inner feelings (Mann ki baat) of Prime ministers, aware of the Chief Ministers girl child protection scheme. In Palamedu they are highly interacted about the advertisement of using toilet and its benefits with one and another.

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5. CONCLUSION Based on the finding of the study they have better sanitation facilities in home (88.8%) and in school also they have good sanitation facilities (79%). The respondents of sample have awareness of government schemes is only 53.9%, sanitation of environment is 48.75% and sanitation behavior of student is 51%. The self awareness is much more important in the period of adolescence for leading their successful life. But at the same time they shared aware of the sanitation development in an around environment and government schemes. So, the present study, find the result have mostly implement of awareness programs for respondent’s of sanitation behaviors, environment and government schemes .

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3) Bowen A, Ma H, Ou J et al. (2007) A cluster-randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of a handwashing-promotion program in Chinese primary schools. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 76, 1166–1173. 4) Hammond B, Ali Y, Fendler E, Dolan M & Donovan S (2000) Effect of hand sanitizer use on elementary school absenteeism. American Journal of Infection Control 28, 340–346. 5) Fewtrell L, Kaufmann RB, Kay D, Enanoria W, Haller L & Colford JM Jr (2005) Water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions to reduce diarrhoea in less developed countries: Asystematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 5, 42–52. 6) Hoque Biliqis, A., Hoque M.M, Ali N, and Coghlan ,Sarah. E.; Sanitation in a poor settlement in Bangladesh challenge for the 1990s;Enviornment and Urbanisation; Vol.6, No.2, (October 1994). 7) Lakshmi.K, Rural Health Care Access A Case Study of Madurai District,Madurai Kamraj University, 2008. 8) Kavitha .A, Yuvaraj .D, Punitha Mary .S and Alaguraja .P (2017) Factors Influencing on Water Supply in Coimbatore City Corporation, Tamil Nadu, Geospatial Technologies for Rural Development, Publisher- Shanlax, Madurai, pp 22-26, 9) Punitha Mary .S , Yuvaraj .D, Uma Maheswari .V and Alaguraja .P (2017) Geographical Study on Access to Water and Sanitation Aspects in Tirumangalam Taluk, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu, Geospatial Technologies for Rural Development, Publisher- Shanlax, Madurai, pp 19-21,

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