POST KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES STUDY IN WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF PALESTINE (SoP)

Summary:
Purpose:
The purpose is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the water, sanitation and hygiene situation, knowledge and behaviours in government schools in West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, thereby enabling the development, implementation and assessment of strategically targeted WASH interventions for the benefit of girls and boys, and female and male school personnel.

Location: East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, West Bank
Duration:5 months

Start Date:June 2015

Reporting to:Carol Awad, OIC WASH 

Please download the follwing files :
 

Annex D - UNICEF GENERAL Terms  conditions

Profile

Background  

A KAP survey (Pre KAP) was conducted in 2011 in schools in East Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza. This KAP study was conducted prior to the WASH in Schools interventions by UNICEF with support from the Government of Australia. Main findings indicate that in West Bank, there is an average of one toilet per 29 boys and 40 girls. While in Gaza, there is an average of one toilet per 59 boys and 76 girls. According to Palestinian minimum educational standards, each classroom (30 students) should have at least one sanitary facility (toilet) and one toilet with easy wheelchair access. The WASH facilities in schools throughout the SoP are below the recommended Sphere Standards of (a) one toilet per 30 students for girls and (b) one toilet per 60 students for boys . 

The findings of the Pre KAP had highlighted needs of the students in government schools in the State of Palestine (SoP) and as a result, steered the direction of the WASH in School programme. The WASH in Schools programme aimed to improved students access to WASH facilities at schools and hygiene practices of students through a number of interventions from 2012 - 2015 such as upgrading WASH facilities, water tankering, developing a hygiene manual for teachers and running Global Hand Washing Day events at schools. 

Additionally, the findings of the Pre KAP survey also indicated a gap in the study itself. The survey showed that 44.1 per cent of West Bank students and 42 per cent of Gaza students refuse to use school toilets mainly due to their poor sanitary conditions, with refusal being higher among secondary school students compared to primary school students. The study also found that refusal to use the facilities is higher among girls than boys even when toilets have been observed as clean. Ten per cent more girls than boys in the West Bank refuse to use school toilets (49 per cent in total), and 20 per cent more girls than boys in Gaza refuse to use school toilets (52.5 per cent in total). The reasons behind this refusal amongst students, especially girls were not investigated in the Pre KAP study. 

A Post KAP is proposed as a means to measure the change in student’s knowledge, attitudes and practices of WASH as a result of these interventions at schools. The Post KAP will need to delve further into understanding the refusal of students in using school toilets in order to drive future WASH in School programme appropriately. Using the Pre KAP as a baseline, the Post KAP survey will assess the change and help to identify the present needs of students. 

UNICEF WASH in Schools Programme

A major component of UNICEF’s WaSH in Schools programme is improving the water, sanitation and hygiene conditions and facilities in government schools in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.  Such work is needed given that, for example, more than 30 percent of schools in the Gaza Strip do not meet Palestinian standards on the minimum number of the toilets for students.  

School-based WaSH interventions include rehabilitation and construction of WaSH facilities, water tankering for drinking purposes, installing solar distillation systems and both hygiene awareness and training. Rehabilitation and construction of WASH facilities include sanitation units, drinking water fountains, hand washing basins and handicap toilets. Since 2012, a total of 240 schools have improved WASH facilities in school in West Bank and the Gaza Strip. UNICEF also supported the cleaning of drinking water storage tanks and minor repairs of leaking faucets in schools. Over 2012-2015, drinking water was provided to over 100 schools annually.   
 
Solar Distillation systems has been installed in two schools in Gaza and one school in West Bank. This provides students with up to 1,000 litres of drinking water per day at up to 2L per student per day. Hygiene promotion activities include Global Hand Washing Day event, implementation of the hygiene manual and training of school teachers and principals. A hygiene manual has been developed for teachers to use in line with the curriculum of grades 1 – 4 for hygiene promotion. Topics in the manual include, personal hygiene, hand washing, dental hygiene, water and food hygiene as well as maintaining the cleanliness of public and private spaces. 

Overall Purpose

The purpose of the assignment is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the water, sanitation and hygiene knowledge, attitude and practices, as well as environment in government schools in West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, thereby enabling the development, implementation and assessment of strategically targeted WASH interventions for the benefit of girls and boys, and female and male school personnel.   

Objectives
The objectives of the post-KAP survey are to measure, the current status in:
-availability and utilisation of water and sanitation facilities in government schools in the SoP, with consideration given to health-related issues;
-the water, sanitation and hygiene knowledge, attitudes and practices of female and male students in government schools in the SoP;
-the role and participation of female and male teachers in water, sanitation and hygiene knowledge creation, attitudes and practices in government schools in the SoP; and
-whether the needs of female and male teachers have been addressed in relation to promoting good water, sanitation and hygiene practices
-Girls’ (before and at menstrual age) specific needs and attitudes towards WASH facilities and Menstrual Hygiene Management

Accordingly, the key research questions are as follows:
1-What is the extent and quality of water and sanitation facilities, and associated practices with respect to provision and maintenance, in Palestinian government schools?
2-What is the level of water, sanitation and hygiene knowledge amongst students attending Palestinian government schools?

3-What are the hygiene practices of students in Palestinian government schools, in relation to such factors as toilet usage, hand-washing and environmental cleanliness?
4-What is the nature and extent of student, school personnel, parent and community participation in water, sanitation and hygiene education and activities?
5-What are the needs of teaching personnel in relation to strengthening the water, sanitation and hygiene knowledge and practices of students?
6-What are girls’ (before and at menstrual age) specific needs and attitudes towards WASH facilities and Menstrual Hygiene Management? Including, why do girls refrain from using WASH facilities at school?

The results from the survey will then be compared with the results with the pre-KAP survey, to assess changes over the period 2011-2015. 

Methodology

The study will be jointly commissioned by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) and UNICEF. The methodology for the Post KAP will be similar to the Pre KAP conducted in 2011 in order to allow for comparison of results. The table below summarises the methodology of the Post KAP.

Key Tasks 

The firm will be responsible for the following tasks:  
-to adapt and revise three Pre KAP questionnaires (to incorporate gaps in the original questionnaires) while maintaining consistency to ensure the data collected can be compared;
-to pilot questionnaires
-to draft and finalise Inception Report for Post KAP To prepare training materials and train field staff on survey’s and sensitive FGD (female field staff only)
-To develop FGD guides, based on UNICEF literature on Menstrual Hygiene Management and other relevant literature provided by UNICEF. 
-assign field staff to administer the questionnaires (field workers) on a full-time basis, in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, during the data collection period;
-Carry out FGDs with girls. to ensure implementation of the survey at the field level, providing supervision and quality control in Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem;
-to develop and maintain the survey data processing tool, 
-to ensure data are verified and checked, at both the field and data entry levels (in accordance with UNICEF Regional KAP Survey Protocol);
-to oversee all data entry, of all three questionnaires;
-to tabulate the survey data;
-to analyse the survey data in accordance with the objectives of the study;
-to analyse the survey data in comparison to the Pre KAP study conducted in 2011 and assess changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices. 
-to draft and finalise the survey report including a chapter on changes in knowledge, attitude and practices since 2011; 
-to ensure timely completion of each stage of the survey;

Timeline of Deliverables

The survey is expected to be carried out over a period of five months, according to the approximate timetable as shown in the following table.

Key Deliverables

The key deliverables in collaboration with the local consultancy firm, will be as follows:

1-Inception Report, including 
-three Pre KAP UNICEF regional School Hygiene and Sanitation Survey questionnaires revised for Post KAP if required and FGD guides. 
-list of the sample schools with current names and locations, with inclusion of the variables as mentioned under “methodology”;
2-Post KAP data entered into a processing tools in line with MOEHE validated SPSS data files
3-Final Post KAP survey report produced in accordance with the UNICEF regional template; 
4-Final workshop presentation on key findings of the Post KAP

Roles and Responsibilities

Ministry of Education and Higher Education

The role and responsibilities of MOEHE will be:
-ensure that the PCBS (Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics) is regularly informed about the Post KAP survey, including sharing copies of the final versions of the questionnaires  and the methodology (as well as sampling procedure and sample size, if any changes need to be made to the sample from the pre-KAP), so as to promote inclusion of results in national strategies;
-to participate in the steering committee;
-to disseminate the Post KAP survey reports.

UNICEF 

The roles and responsibilities of UNICEF will be:
-to contract the Consultancy firm , provide oversight on deliverables and timelines.
-to participate in the steering committee including providing technical inputs
-to be the medium between the steering committee and the Consultant

Steering Committee

The steering committee will consist of selected staff from UNICEF, MOEHE and the donor, Government of Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The steering committee will: 
-provide guidance to the Consultant and the local consultancy firm on methodology, tasks and deliverables
-review the Post KAP questionnaires, inception report and final reports

Expected Background

One independent lead consultancy firm will be selected to deliver the outputs described above; the firm should demonstrate technical capacity to conduct the survey and should ensure that their team composition includes the following qualifications and experiences:
-Post graduate degree in social sciences, policy analysis, statistics, survey design or other related fields
-Academic background in the field of Environmental Resources Management or Water & Environmental Engineering. 
-At least 5 years of solid and progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels with extensive experience with application of quantitative and qualitative research methods, experience in communication for development and behavior changes promotion. 
-Excellent writing, communication, presentation and public speaking skills in English. Fluency in Arabic is required.
-Ability to work in teams and in a multi-cultural environment
-The contractor must provide UNICEF with a Certificate of Incorporation / documentation proving the registered company or institution.

Application Details

To apply for this Consultancy, interested parties are invited to submit their expression of interest together with:
I-a cover letter, no longer than 2 pages, and curriculum vitae of the proposed members of the team, no longer than 2 pages each, showing how the Consultancy meets the required qualifications, experience and expertise
II-a technical proposal, no longer than 3 pages, highlighting:
a-the methodology
b-the time frame with clear milestones
c-the understanding of this Terms of References, its qualifications and any suggestions to improve this Terms of Reference
d-any ethic concerns that could affect people involved in the mapping, and
III-a financial proposal, no longer that one page, including all eligible fees (e.g. salaries, transportations and DSA for data collection and fieldwork, communication costs, etc.).

Applicants shall submit the expression of interest, together with the complete annexe documentation in Microsoft Word or PDF format, as well as the duly completed and signed Supplier Profile Forms attached to UNICEF State of Palestine, e-mail:

optsuppliersunicef.org

by not later than 15 June 2015 by 15.30hours. Please quote [EOI/JERA/WASH/2015/KAP/003] as subject in your correspondence. To identify the most suitable candidate, applications shall be evaluated by UNICEF according to the following scoring, ranging from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) points:

a-a maximum of 30 points for qualifications, experience and expertise
b-a maximum of 50 points for the technical proposal, and
c-a maximum of 20 points for the financial proposal.

Ethical Principles

Informed consent will be obtained from all questionnaire respondents.  In giving their informed consent, both children and adults will be cognisant of the confidential nature of their responses.  The confidentiality of all information obtained through the survey will be assured, with coding employed in lieu of the names of respondents.

If they wish to do so, respondents will be able to terminate their participation in the survey at any stage.

All data and findings obtained through the survey will be the joint intellectual property of the MoEHE and UNICEF.  Sharing, publication and other presentation of the data and findings can only occur with the written agreement of the MoEHE and UNICEF.