Pupils shy away from lavatory

Pupils and teachers of Hoviepe Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P.) Basic School in the Ho Municipality have abandoned a “biodiversity toilet” built for them for lack of knowledge on its usage.

Some teachers and pupils told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that they were told they would be given special training on the use of the facility and had been waiting for two years.

The toilet was built since 2013 by a non-governmental organization said to be from Finland.

The place is overgrown with weeds.

Consequently, some pupils and teachers defecate in nearby bushes.

Reverend Julius Akama, Headmaster of the School said some pupils ask permission during classes to go to toilet at home.

There were reports of some pupils having been bitten by snakes while attending to natures call in bushes around the school.

Togbe Agbi III, Fiaga of Hoviepe who briefed pressmen said the situation was compromising hygiene and quality teaching and learning in the community.

Mr Samuel Hanson-Galley, Ho Municipal Environmental Health Officer said his outfit knew nothing about the non-use of that toilet.

He said his outfit thought the school was using the facility and therefore excluded it from an institutional toilet under the urban sanitation project in the Municipality.

Mr Hanson-Galley said the situation could cause oral-fecal diseases and parasitic infections.

He said about 25 basic schools in the Municipality lacked toilets.

GNA investigations revealed that four other basic schools in the Municipality have biodiversity toilets, which were under lock, leaving teachers and pupils without any sanitation facility.