By Christopher Nyeko
KITGUM: Over 500 learners and 5 teachers at Bola Primary School in Namokora Sub County in Kitgum district are struggling to handle sanitation at the school due to shortage of latrine at the school.
According to the authorities at the school, the latrine was destroyed by heavy down power, termites, while other blocks were in use by the community during the two years lockdown.
Speaking to ugreports.com, Ben Omony the head teacher said the condition forced the teachers to share the two blocks of latrine with the pupils which is not decent.
Omony revealed that parents have erected one block of latrine at the teachers quarter but they have not fixed the door.
“Some time teachers are forced to carry a blanket to close their front if they are to ease themselves in this shelter, hence our staff find it difficult to use this incomplete latrine of low standard”. he asserted.
Bola primary school has a total of over 500 pupils with five teachers, however the school has only two functional blocks of latrine which are halfway filled.
The condition has forced pupils to adopt to open defecation in the bush thus the condition worries parents that when rains return it may lead to cholera outbreak in the area.
Bazild Olara, a teacher at Bola primary school told ugreports.com that girls are finding it hard to share the latrine with the boys citing that it exposes them to contracting sexual transmitted diseases like urinary tract infection, pelvic inflammatory diseases, candida, gonorrhoea or even raped by the grownup pupils.
“Girls are finding it hard during menstruation period to stay in school because the shelter we used for showering was blown away by the wind during the lockdown hence nowhere to bath and change the clothes” she asserted.
Meanwhile George Olal Okori the Chairperson School Management Committee confirmed that the school is wrestling with many challenges such few class rooms, shortages of teachers, and poor sanitation facilities.
”We have reported all these challenges to the district but in vain. However he advised the parents to be vigilant and take care of the school properties,” He said.
Meanwhile Aruai Christopher Oblo the Kitgum District chairman admitted dilapidation at bola primary school. He revealed that the engineering department have finalised their assessment which was carried out earlier this month to find how school properties were destroyed during the lockdown.
“As district executive committee, we have received this report and have forwarded it to the office of the chief administrative officer for qualification of the material to be used in renovating all the dilapidated school which will kick start on a short notice” he contended.
Aruai revealed that during the lockdown, the district lost many school properties such as desk, lightning arrester, doors either to the termites, thief and heavy down power during the lockdown.
He however called upon the developing partners in the district to step in and help the schools in the district especially in the area of sanitation as the district is financially constrained.
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