School toilets in shocking state

Open defecation

In our Sunderbani block our school does not have access to proper sanitation, few schools have toilet facilities but in some schools toilet were blocked, broken and none of the toilets has hand-washing facilities.

This is particularly critical for young children around the age 4 to 5 year who are just starting to use the toilet. Having no toilets expose students to lack of privacy. The lack of sanitary facilities for girls can discourage parents from sending girls to government school and contributes to the drop out of girls particularly at puberty.

In our Dogra culture many parents considered menstruation dirty and impure so, during periods girls are discouraged to attend school and stay at homes. In our education system where we don’t have much adult education or sex education this can have serious consequences. Inadequate sanitation and separate toilet for girls in schools put huge impact on girl’s school attendance and it is the main reason for absentees of girls from school.

Human excreta always contain large number of germs, some of which may cause Diarrhoea , Cholera, Typhoid and Hepatitis A. when students defecate in the open, flies carry small amount of excreta away on their feet. When they touch food, the germs in the excreta are passed onto the food. This may later be eaten by another student. So many children spend time absent from school due to diseases.

According to WHO-UNICEF, 2010 (India has the highest rate of open defecation in the world). This is all covered under the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The main objectives is to provide safe drinking water and improved sanitation for all, at all time, in rural India and ensure all Government School , Anganwadies have functional toilet, urinals and access to safe drinking water.

In many schools, sanitation blocks have been built to meet official targets but they contain no actual facilities for students.

Good community need good school good school need good students and good students need good sanitation. Schools ensuring that a new generation of children learn good hygiene practices to pass on at home also. Schools thus play a pivotal role in inculcating clean and healthy habits among children, families and the wider community.

Through this post I want to draw attention of concerned authorities towards the problem of school sanitation. Thus the need for proper sanitation has begun to get the attention of the concerned authorities as it help in not only combating diseases, but also making a safer, cleaner and hygienic school environment.

Vijay Kumar Sharma 

Vill. Bandrai, teh. Sunderbani