Accessible school latrines in Uganda: the gap between design and construction

This paper discusses gaps between design and construction of accessible latrines developed by the The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) in Uganda is committed to the inclusion of disabled children in mainstream schools as part of Universal Primary Education. However physical infrastructure barriers remain, including inaccessible latrines, in spite of the existence of accessible designs. This study sought to investigate why accessible latrine designs are not being implemented in practice, through document review, direct observation and key informant interviews. Key findings of the study include confusion caused by the various designs in use, and their inadequacy, and lack of approved accessibility standards for reference. A number of recommendations are proposed including co-ordination by the MoES of all stakeholders in planning, design and approval of accessibility standards and designs, and improved monitoring by technical personnel of accessibility at the time of construction.