NAN-AE-5
Schools
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Oct. 5, 2017 (NAN) The National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) has decried open defecation in some primary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), owing to insufficient toilets and water scarcity.
The group made the criticism on Thursday during its Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) monitoring tour of some public schools in Abaji and Kuje Area Councils.
A member of the team, Mrs Chizoba Opara, said that apart from the scarcity of toilets in most of the schools, the non-availability of water in the schools was also encouraging the pupils to practise open defecation.
“It is alarming what we saw in some of these schools. How do you explain a school with 800 pupils having four non-functional toilets? There are some schools with few toilets but no access to water at all.
“At Kayarda Primary School in Kuje, Kuje Model Primary school and LEA Primary School; all the 1,045 pupils share the same toilets.
“The three schools have only six flush toilets which had no water; it was evident that open defecation was being practised in the surroundings,’’ she added.
In his response, the head teacher, Mr Yusuf Musa, blamed the Local Education Authority for the non-availability of water in the schools.
“We are appealing to the FCT Administration and the Local Education Authority to help us; we don’t like the way our children are defecating in the open. If they can give us more toilets in the school, we are optimistic that open defecation will stop,’’ he said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the group discovered that Science Primary School, Kuje, with a population of 2,153, has only 22 toilets with no water for flushing purposes.
The head teacher, Mr Adamu Idris, told the group that the area council was aware of their plight although the officials had not made any effort to address it.
He also complained of dilapidated structures and insufficient infrastructure, saying that due to the new pupil enrolment, the school population had increased.
“Here, we have insufficient infrastructure, some students sit on the floor, as there are insufficient desks and chairs, and owing to the recent enrolment, our population has increased.
“We need help in the renovation of our perimeter fence, we have 22 toilets but we don’t have water in the school,’’ he said.
Idris, however, blamed the water scarcity on the breakdown of the generating plant which was used to power the pumping of water from the borehole.
During the groups visit to the LEA primary schools in Bamishi and Chukuku, Kuje Area Council, the head teacher, Mr Jolly Gwamna, said that open defecation was practised in the school because of the lack of water to flush toilets.
Gwamna called for improved water supply to the school to improve the wellbeing of its pupils, adding that the construction of a perimeter fence around the school would check intrusions, particularly by those were fond of defecating in the school premises.
He said that the school had an Environmental Health Club which sensitised the pupils to the importance of hygiene and handwashing after using toilets, among other issues.
However, Mr Bulus Danladi, the Education Secretary, Kuje Area Council, assured the group that the current administration was aware of all the challenges facing public schools, saying that the government had started renovating the schools.
He, nonetheless, said that paucity of funds is still a major challenge facing efforts to execute the projects.
“I am happy that you have seen the issues yourself. We are reaching the schools; as soon as we get funds, we are changing the decaying structures, while upgrading the water supply and sanitation facilities,’’ he said. (NAN)
TAK/OSA/OOK
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Edited by Shittu Obassa and Dayo Komolafe