Namutumba pupils, teachers share pit latrine with community

In Kiwanyi sub-county, Namutumba District, Irondo Primary School faces a dire sanitation crisis. The school's sole four-stance pit-latrine, built in 2007, is shared by 1,466 pupils, 15 teachers, and locals from the surrounding Irondo trading centre. This situation poses significant health risks to teachers and pupils at the school.

"We have 1,466 pupils, 755 girls, 711 boys, and 15 teachers, but to manage congestion, we use it in shifts," explains Head Teacher Mathias Isiko. "During break time, we send pupils home to defecate, then they come back at 11 am. This arrangement leads to pupils missing evening lessons, affecting their performance.”

Due to privacy concerns, teachers resort to using neighbors' facilities, while pupils defecate in nearby bushes or gardens.

"Very soon, we'll have a breakout of cholera, dysentery, and other diseases due to poor sanitation," warns Isiko. The school's pit-latrine is in disrepair, with cracks on the slab, leaking roofs, and crumbling walls.

Open defecation is rampant, and the lack of separate facilities for staff, boys, and girls exacerbates the issue.

"We're supposed to have separate pit-latrines, but male, female teachers, boys, and girls share the same school pit-latrine, which also serves as a public toilet for locals," Isiko notes.

The situation is further complicated by the school's proximity to the trading center. "Lack of public toilets in Irondo trading center forces locals to use the school pit-latrine," says Ssosi Mukama, Chairperson of the Teachers Parents Association.

Consequences of the sanitation crisis

The sanitation crisis has severe consequences for the students. "When pupils are sent home to defecate, especially those in lower classes, they don't come back after break time," Isiko says. "The same happens during lunchtime; pupils go for lunch and miss afternoon lessons, affecting school performance."

Last year, a pupil was defiled by a man who entered the school to use the toilet. "We share a pit-latrine with locals, and the school is not fenced," recalls Senior Man Teacher Enock Tubahame.

Senior Woman Teacher Florence Namumbya notes that girls often stay home during menstruation due to lack of changing rooms, affecting their academic performance. Many have dropped out of school altogether.

Calls for action

Local leaders acknowledge the crisis. Irondo Parish Local Council II Chairperson Moses Kibalya says efforts to construct another pit-latrine since 2013 have been futile. Namutumba District Chairperson David Mukisa promises to lobby for support, saying, "We know the poor sanitary conditions, and very soon, another pit-latrine will be built."

Mukama appeals to the government for help, saying, "Government should save the lives of our pupils and teachers before the worst occurs. We've written letters to the district chairperson, but nothing has been done."

The school's sanitation crisis demands urgent attention. As the situation persists, the health and education of Irondo Primary School's students hang in the balance.