Kamasasa
primary school is a government aided school in Karambi sub –county Kasese
district Bordering with DR Congo.Kamasasa primary school is among the schools
with a highest enrollment in Kasese district of
2082 pupils ( 1108 females and 974 males) with an enrollment of 50 children with disabilities (PWDs).The
school has a general teachers enrollment
of 40.
In an interaction with the head
teacher Mr.Zeverio Muhindo, he said the school was faced
with a number of challenges that hinder the smooth running of education as well
as improving on the hygiene and child protection strategies. On .protection during a tour of the school we
observed that the school had .inadequate Latrine coverage with only twelve
latrine stance giving a latrine stance ,pupil ratio of 1:173 which is contrary
to the recommended ratio of 1:45. Making matters worse
toilets do not have doors and pupils are forced to shield each other. The fact
that the toilets are not regularly cleaned and in some cases the roofs leak
also makes the situation pathetic. According to Mrs Katusime Benadet, she told us
that some girls are known to miss school during their menstrual period, saying
that the toilets do not offer the privacy they need for them to change their
sanitary towels which affects their performance and attendance in class. “For child to miss four or five days of
school due to a natural occurrence is simply wanting”. The girls claim that
the toilet doors cannot shut or are broken.
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| KALI STAFF MONITORING LATRINES AT KAMASASA PRIMARY SCHOOL APRIL 2016 |
The head
teacher said that, they are lobbing for more funds and help from both government
and NGOs for the intervention because the situation is alarming. Though the
sub-county is promising to construct more latrines but because of the bureaucracy
of the government, you find that, they delay in their implementation which can
cause short term illness and absence from school.
Toilets and sanitation system cater for one of the
most basic human functions. Inadequate facilities, poor access and poor
knowledge of urinary or bowel health can have wide ranging implications for
physical, emotional and psychological health. This is true for children who are
powerless to bring improvements to this aspect of their life. While inadequate
access to clean, pleasant toilets will affect all children’s academic resulting
into poor performance, it can have a particularly negative impact for children
with disabilities. The situation at Kamasasa primary school pre disposes the
children, teachers and community to cholera which is a common disease in the
border town of Mpondwe Lhubiriha Town Council.
By Matise
Jolamu
Volunteer KALI
