Schools have toilets, but students CANNOT use them

Rithu Dravid | NT Bengaluru:

Children spend around onethird of their time in school, where they could be exposed to a variety of physical and psychological harm. Now more than ever, the importance of clean toilets in schools needs to be taken into consideration and how it can affect students.

Important factors like cleanliness, personal hygiene, and good sanitation provide a clean school environment for the students to keep them in good health and safe. “I do not like school anymore,” was the response of 13-year-old Pragya, who refuses to go to school regularly. This has shocked her parents and left them clueless about their daughter’s reluctance to go to school. After a couple of talks with their child, they realised that she was unable to use the restrooms in her school as they were filthy and unfit for use.

Another parent complained and said, “My son leaves home around 6:30 am and at times is not able to relieve himself properly. Even if he feels the need to relieve himself, he holds it till he returns home. He rushes to the restroom as soon as he is back home.” Without naming the school, she brought the matter to the authorities concerned. “I know for sure it is not good for his health. How can the school tell our children to ignore their bladder?”

Psychologists feel issues with school sanitation are a serious concern and this will certainly affect children’s well-being and make them feel low and adopt unhealthy habits too. “Simple things like finding the right time to talk to chat and talking about how to approach toilet hygiene at home can help open up a conversation with your child and create an environment where issues can be discussed and problems solved. Schools should ensure clean and usable toilets for students,” said Kevin Simon, a city-based counsellor.

There have been many surveys on the hygiene of school toilets, both in private and government schools, across the states in India. One such survey revealed that 86 per cent reported cleanliness as an issue. Also, lack of water, flushes, wet floors, urine or faeces on the seat or floor, and absence of dustbins are major drawbacks affecting school students.

“As older girls need to dispose of sanitary napkins responsibly, a napkin disposal system in the toilets should be provided. Most students sparingly drink water and less frequently use the toilet due to unhygienic conditions that exist. Some even do not use the restroom at all in school,” said Anuradha, a concerned parent.

Filthy school restrooms can cause students to miss days at school of being sick as well. For example, girls have to miss a day of school for menstrual hygiene if the restrooms at school are inadequate. Krishi, a Class 8 student from a private convent school in the city, was fed up with the toilet situation. She never goes during her monthly periods, just to avoid the hassle of using the unhygienic restrooms. She said this hampered her studies.

Many students said that they deliberately did not eat or drink at school to avoid using the toilets. Students reported cleanliness as an issue. They said they avoid drinking or eating throughout the day, so they don’t have to use the toilet, which can lead to serious health issues. “There are a greater number of students and very few toilets and this is another issue for us,” exclaimed a student.

Concerned parents suggest a solutionbased approach to these issues rather than complaining about the system in place. The use of hygiene boxes for effective waste management in school toilets, hand wash dispensers, regular mopping of wet floors and installing portable eco-friendly toilets in the school campus can reduce the rush or queuing up at the toilets.

It’s the duty of the parents too who should be asked to sensitise the children towards toilet manners. “Educating children about the importance of cleanliness and hygiene has to be taught at home for them to implement it at school as well,” said the
former principal of a convent school in the city.