Education officials in Nyadri district have said schools with dilapidated pit-latrines will not open for the first term.The district inspector of schools, Flavia Droti, said six schools had so far been identified and they would only open after new latrines had been constructed. The first term started on 2 February 2009.

Droti said: “A report by inspectors of schools suggested that the state of pit latrines in most primary schools was wanting. Most of the latrines were in a dangerous condition and need to either be replaced or repaired.” Droti was responding to a statement by the district council chairman, Viga Kanon, calling for the situation to be rectified so that pupils report for next term on time.

Kanon noted that Epa Primary School which has the highest enrolment, needs at least two new five-stance ventilated-improved pit (VIP) latrines for both the pupils and teachers. He said the old pit-latrines would either collapse or sink because of the torrential rains that began in August 2008.

Related web site: WASH in Schools

Source: Richard Adrama, New Vision / allAfrica.com, 25 Jan 2009

Tags: africa, policies & legislation, school sanitation