Find the e-learning modules here. 

“The e-learning modules by WASH Institute and Toilet Board Coalition for public and community toilet operators are designed to help the operators professionalise the operation and maintenance of these facilities.” – Sunil Agarwal, Programme and Partnerships Director at Toilet Board Coalition

The Swachh Bharat Mission saw a tremendous evolution in toilet access. The increased focus on toilet installations unleashed new challenges regarding operation and maintenance (O&M). To tackle these challenges, the recent launch of Toilet 2.0 Campaign by Govt of India, increases the focus on innovating services for functionalizing public and community toilets. The Toilet Board Coalition accelerates business solutions in sanitation, which include the innovation of such services – thus with its private sector expertise, the Coalition collaborated with WASH Institute, which excels at capacity building, and developed e-learning modules for public and community toilet operators in India. The foundation of these modules is based on the Star-Rated Public Toilets – a set of guidelines on how to build, maintain and use public toilets with the user experience at the forefront.

The goal of these modules is to grow the pool of skilled individuals that can be recruited into public and community toilet operations – increasing participation of the private sector in this space, and in the process, ensuring that sanitation workers have dignity and safety at their workplace. In addition, professionalising these jobs can help workers have upward mobility, and grow professionally.

The modules are found online in the format of nine short videos that are easily accessible and comprehensive. They cover a range of essential topics from soft skills required to interact with toilet users, to ensuring personal safety, to understanding cleaning procedures, to name a few. After watching the nine videos, the participant will undergo a short online assessment and receive a certification of completion.

These videos were initially created with a focus on India and thus are offered in Hindi, with English subtitles. These will eventually be translated into different regional languages according to the requirement of various regions in the country.

Launching these e-modules is a step towards professionalising skills in the operation and maintenance of these facilities. What lies ahead is looking at the entire sanitation value chain together with WASH Institute, identifying training needs and developing modules accordingly to continue accelerating the pace towards achieving SDG 6.2.  

These e-learning modules were made possible with generous support from USAID India.