School restrooms a disgrace
"Some of the toilets have holes and some have cracks which have resulted in learners relieving themselves in bushes around the schools or behind classrooms when nature calls,"
MBOMBELA – The EFF has declared that the state of toilet systems in rural schools is a disgrace and an insult to learners.
This comes after the party visited various schools when they reopened a week ago. They discovered that some of the toilets were in a poor condition. Some of those affected include Magogeni, Sifundzekhaya, Mawewe, Mpumelelo, Driekoppies Primary and Camalaza Secondary.
Also read : School’s toilet floor drenched with excrement
The provincial chairperson of the EFF, Mr Collen Sedibe, told Mpumalanga News that it’s about time that the Department of Education restored the dignity of the learners by providing them with proper toilets.
“Some of the pit toilets are full of human waste which poses a health hazard to the learners and others.
Some of the toilets have holes and some have cracks which have resulted in learners relieving themselves in bushes around the schools or behind classrooms when nature calls,” said Sedibe.
Spokesperson for education, Mr Jasper Zwane said, “Last year during our policy and budget speech, we indicated that this year we will be focusing more on ensuring that there is no school that doesn’t have proper sanitation, water and electricity. Many times, we made a call to school principals in the event that they have to indicate challenges or submit problems to that effect.
“As a department, we do have a list of schools that need attention, I don’t know whether the schools that were mentioned here have submitted their challenges, but I will check, as you have raised it,” he said.
