700 Kasese pupils share single pit latrine

By Thembo Kahungu Misairi

Posted  Saturday, April 6  2013 at  01:00

Teachers at Rusese Primary school in Mpondwe-Lubiriha Town Council, Kasese District are complaining about lack of toilets in the school. The school, with 690 pupils, 470 of who are female, has only one latrine that is also shared with 18 teachers. The teachers, include 13 females. The latrine is also used by a nearby church.

According to the school’s senior woman teacher, Ms Sarah Biira, female teachers suffer the most as they collide with their male counterparts and young boys.
Ms Biira during a girl-child education seminar said this at the school on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by the Kasese woman MP, Ms Winfred Kiiza.
“We are uncomfortable with only one latrine here.

But what shall we do to overcome this?” Ms Biira asked. She said although the matter had been reported to the district authorities several years back, they have never been responded to.

No privacy
Ms Biira added that the conditions become worse when the girls are in their periods. “Our girls fear to come to school when they are in their periods because they cannot use the same place of convenience with boys,” Ms Biira said.
She asked for a changing room for girls to be constructed.

However, the secretary for social services in Mpondwe-Lubiriha Town Council, Ms Joyce Mirembe, promised that the council would construct a four-stance ventilated pit latrine at the school, though she did not say when.

The MP, tasked the parents to build walls for a classroom block and a changing room for the girls, and said she would look for funds to roof it.
Cholera outbreaks in the country have at times been blamed on lack of toilet facilities in communities.

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Accessed on 6 April, 2013 from:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/700-Kasese-pupils-share-single-pit-latrine/-/688334/1740224/-/tn73j7z/-/index.html