Bhutan has made significant progress in expanding Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services across educational institutions over the last decade. The recent nationwide Assessment of WASH Services and Facilities in Schools and Monastic Institutions (2025), conducted by the Ministry of Education and Skills Developmen (MoESD), Dratshang Lhentshog, and UNICEF, demonstrates that most monastic schools and nunneries now have basic WASH infrastructure in place. However, the assessment also highlights substantial gaps in service quality, reliability, safety, inclusivity, and sustainability that prevent institutions from fully complying with the National Standards for WASH in Schools and Monastic Institutions 2024.
Monastic schools and nunneries play a vital role in Bhutan's education system and cultural heritage. They currently serve 12,213 monks and 1,664 nuns across 216 monastic schools and 32 nunneries. Importantly, they also accommodate 664 individuals with disabilities, including 481 monks and 183 nuns, underscoring the need for inclusive WASH services that support the health, dignity, and educational participation of all learners.
The assessment findings reveal significant disparities between infrastructure coverage and compliance with national WASH standards. While 89.4% of monastic schools reported water availability at the time of assessment, only 18.8% of nunneries had water available. Access to uninterrupted 24-hour water supply remains inadequate, with only 68.1% of monastic schools and 50% of nunneries reporting reliable service. Water safety is also a concern, as 20.4% of monastic schools and 15.5% of nunneries experienced water contamination during the previous year, while only 20.4% and 25.0%, respectively, had conducted water quality testing within the last 12 months. Furthermore, fewer than one-third of institutions have filtration systems or advanced water treatment facilities. These findings indicate that many institutions remain vulnerable to service disruptions and waterborne diseases.
Although sanitation coverage appears adequate when measured against toilet-to-student ratios, significant functionality and accessibility challenges persist. Only 70.8% of monastic schools and 68.8% of nunneries reported toilets that were fully functional and adequately lit. Accessibility remains critically low, with only 13.4% of monastic schools and 12.5% of nunneries meeting disability-accessibility standards. Similarly, urinal adequacy is severely lacking, with only 31.5% of monastic schools meeting national standards.
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Education: Master’s degree in Public Health, Civil Engineering, Environmental Management, Water Resources Management, Economics or another relevant subjects.
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Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
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For every Child, you demonstrate...
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