Water and sanitation provision is a matter of life and death to humans, since its absence and shortage may increase incidences of waterborne diseases as well as have adverse effects on the learning environment at schools. Every human has a right to an adequate water supply as well as to proper sanitation services. The two cannot be separated; absence of either can have dire public health implications. Schools are an extension of communities and can therefore be seen as a reflection of societal trends and infrastructural conditions. In South Africa the national ministry of water affairs is the main custodian of water and sanitation services to all. However it is the responsibility of the education ministry to provide and extend water and sanitation services and build infrastructure in schools. One of the principles in the water and sanitation policy stipulates that the state has an obligation for ensuring service delivery within available resources. Other relevant stakeholders need to assist the government to augment service delivery. It is against this background that the study focuses on exploring the extent to which stakeholders are involved in providing water services to schools and whether their involvement has resulted in any service delivery improvement or not. The main themes explored in the study include profiling and demographics of the schools, the state of sanitation facilities and water infrastructure, operation and management of sanitation facilities and public health issues. The study also aims to provide an insight into service delivery challenges and includes success stories where partnerships have been involved. The study draws from theories that link water and sanitation to public health, child development and gender based on the human rights principles. Literature on various forms of institutional arrangements is explored in order to understand the regulatory framework upon which service delivery is based. The main findings indicated that sanitation facilities in the rural schools are generally poor unless there has been some type of intervention. Although it is the municipality’s responsibility to ensure potable water is supplied at a local level, these services are often not provided. Service delivery seems to be very slow for most schools. Stakeholder involvement has been at the level of providing infrastructure for the schools, whereas operations and maintenance has remained the responsibility of schools. There are still huge challenges for the government to improve service delivery in schools especially those in the rural areas. and shortage may increase incidences of waterborne diseases as well as have adverse effects on the learning environment at schools. Every human has a right to an adequate water supply as well as to proper sanitation services. The two cannot be separated; absence of either can have dire public health implications. Schools are an extension of communities and can therefore be seen as a reflection of societal trends and infrastructural conditions. In South Africa the national ministry of water affairs is the main custodian of water and sanitation services to all. However it is the responsibility of the education ministry to provide and extend water and sanitation services and build infrastructure in schools. One of the principles in the water and sanitation policy stipulates that the state has an obligation for ensuring service delivery within available resources. Other relevant stakeholders need to assist the government to augment service delivery. It is against this background that the study focuses on exploring the extent to which stakeholders are involved in providing water services to schools and whether their involvement has resulted in any service delivery improvement or not. The main themes explored in the study include profiling and demographics of the schools, the state of sanitation facilities and water infrastructure, operation and management of sanitation facilities and public health issues. The study also aims to provide an insight into service delivery challenges and includes success stories where partnerships have been involved. The study draws from theories that link water and sanitation to public health, child development and gender based on the human rights principles. Literature on various forms of institutional arrangements is explored in order to understand the regulatory framework upon which service delivery is based. The main findings indicated that sanitation facilities in the rural schools are generally poor unless there has been some type of intervention. Although it is the municipality’s responsibility to ensure potable water is supplied at a local level, these services are often not provided. Service delivery seems to be very slow for most schools. Stakeholder involvement has been at the level of providing infrastructure for the schools, whereas operations and maintenance has remained the responsibility of schools. There are still huge challenges for the government to improve service delivery in schools especially those in the rural areas. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.