No-toilet schools still a lived reality

Report exposes Limpopo’s shame

Overflowing toilets with broken seats, no toilet paper, no sanitary bins and broken doors.

These are some of the findings of a new report by an education lobby group into the state of sanitation in at least 18 schools in the GaMashashane area of Limpopo.

The report, Dikolo Tsa go hloka Seriti (Schools with No Dignity), was released by Equal Education (EE) in Polokwane yesterday.

Its release coincided with the civil lawsuit against the state after Michael Komape, 5, drowned in a pit toilet in 2014.

The provincial department of education has been given until January 8 2018 to respond to the report that details how pupils are forced to endure filthy and dilapidated toilets.

Among the 18 schools mentioned in the report, four had no water while 10 had no usable toilets.

None of the schools had soap while only 11 schools had maintenance staff. Only two schools had toilet paper and taps near latrines used by pupils. Of the 262 toilets that were inspected, only 26 had functioning doors which could be closed to ensure privacy.

At Seipone High School, a large hole was cut in the fence to allow pupils to leave the school yard and relieve themselves in the bushes.

Matshelana Primary school, which has 585 pupils, had no water source and maintenance staff.

More than 270 girls at the school are forced to share two pit latrines while the two units meant for the 309 boys were clogged by waste.

About 229 pupils from Milente Secondary School and Botsikane Secondary School, which were recently merged, were found to be using one block of toilets.

The report describes the conditions found at the schools as “undignified”. It blamed the department for a lack of capacity and poor procurement planning.

Luyolo Mazwembe of EE said the department had missed a June 2016 deadline to resolve water and sanitation issues at all schools in the province.

“It is illegal for learners to be in such schools,” Mazwembe said.

Provincial department spokesman Sam Makondo said they would assess the report as they viewed issues of sanitation in a serious light.

‘It is illegal for learners to be in such schools’

/ SUPPLIED A collapsing zinc toilet block with pit latrines is still in use at Seipone High School in Limpopo. This block, and another one that is in a similar condition, are the only toilets available to pupils.