Masaka Schools in Latrine Crisis
Access to pit latrines remains a challenge in many communities in Uganda
Three government aided primary schools in Masaka municipality are struggling to maintain proper hygiene due to limited sanitary facilities. They are Hill Road Public, Ssenyange Education Center and Bwala Muslim Primary schools.
At Hill Road Public school 3000 pupils share a five stance latrine. Five other latrines at the school filled up and were closed. Esther Nakintu, the Deputy Head teacher Hill Road Public school says they don’t have capacity to empty the filled up latrines.
Nakintu says currently pupils waste a lot of time queuing up to access the available latrine adding that, they need at least five latrines to address the problem.
On Wednesday, our reporters found Jessica Namusoke, a pupil at Hill Road Public school struggling to access the only available latrine. Namusoke told our reporter that she is often forced to ease herself in the open to avoid the long queue.
She says the available latrine is too dirty because some of the pupils defecate outside, which exposes them to diseases. Moses Kawuma, the head teacher Ssenyange primary school says his school is operating without a latrine.
Kawuma says they notified Masaka municipality about their problem but to date nothing has been done.
Our reporters saw several pupils easing themselves in bushes around the filled up pit latrine at the school.
Some of the pupils said they decided to ease themselves in the bushes because they have no alternative. The pupils claimed the school administration promised to put new latrines before opening for the first term but they didn’t find any on their return from holidays.
Masaka Municipality has earmarked some money to construct latrines worth 20 million each at the affected schools but to date nothing has been done.
Beatrice Ssekiwunga, the Inspector of schools Masaka Municipality declined to comment but only said there are efforts to address the problem.
Godfrey Kayemba, the Mayor Masaka Municipality says they have completed the procurement process to construct modern toilets constructed at Hill Road Public school.
He says in addition to the toilet, the Municipality will also construct a classroom block at Hill Road public school to address congestion.
Shillings 130 million has been budgeted for the toilets and classroom block construction.
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