School toilets stinking disgrace
JON HOUZET
SHOCKING unhygienic conditions of school toilets at Port Alfred Primere Skool in Station Hill have been exposed by DA councillor Terri Stander.
Stander visited the school on February 14 after being told about the situation by Sylvia Murdoch of the Nemato Foundation charity group.
She said the toilets were in such a shocking state she reported it the municipal health inspector. Municipal spokesman Cecil Mbolekwa confirmed a notice of contravention was handed to the school principal and also sent to the department of education. There will be a follow-up in 21 days.
| APPALLING: One of the filthy, dilapidated toilets used by pupils at Port Alfred Primere Skool in Station Hill Picture: TERRI STANDER |
Stander said she visited both the girls' and boys' bathrooms. There are just seven girls' toilets and four boys' toilets plus a urinal trough for 760 pupils.
"There are no doors on the toilet (stalls),” said Stander. "Every single toilet was broken in terms of not flushing, some were missing seats, a couple of them were leaking water and there was some urine and faeces on the toilet bowl and on the floor. The dustbin in the corner was full and looked like it hadn't been emptied in days.”
Stander said there were two showers in each bathroom, both "inches deep in filth and muck”.
"There's no toilet paper there – they keep it in the classrooms, but I understand that because kids can mess around,” she said.
"While I was there I saw how little girls had to use the toilets, without toilet seats. Their feet can't even touch the ground. They lift themselves up and grab the rim of the bowl.”
There was no soap at the sinks, and no towels to dry your hands, but at least the sinks had running water, she said.
"I think it's highly likely the toilets were vandalised by kids. If you put kids in a dirty environment they will add to the dirt, you put them in a clean environment and they will want to keep it clean.”
She said she tried to see principal Arthur Isaacs but he was unavailable. "I also spoke to three teachers but they didn't want to say anything to me without Arthur,” she added.
"I reported it to community protection services the same day and by 2pm the health inspector was on site and filed a notice of contravention. I was impressed with their efficiency and how quickly my complaint was attended to. It's the standard and quality we expect from all municipal departments at all times.”
She said Isaacs called her later that afternoon and they met the following day to discuss the situation.
"He said he had commitment from the Nemato Foundation and Rotary to help him part of the way to address the toilets situation and he had to use school funds to do the rest. He said they had to wait for a holiday to do the work.”
Stander insisted that something needed to be done immediately, first by at least cleaning the toilets. She returned 10 days later and said while an effort had been made to clean the showers and some of the toilets, she was horrified to find two of the bowls seething with maggots.
Isaacs told TotT he was upset Stander had approached the press about the situation.
"I'm not happy she just came here and took photos without our permission,” he said. "She went to the school and entered the toilets unauthorised.”
Nevertheless he admitted there was a problem with the toilets, but would not say how long it had been a problem.
"We have problems because of overcrowding, and water has been problem in Station Hill for a very long time. Water is on and off and you can't flush,” said Isaacs.
"I'm trying my best to run this school.”
He said the department of education had plans to add classrooms to the school and would also build an additional ablution block, but he was not sure when this would happen.
In the meantime he said Rotary and the Nemato Foundation had offered to help, but work on the toilets would have to wait until the Easter holidays as pupils were using the toilets.
Rotary chairman Gunther Johannsen said Rotary was planning to help "but I can't say anything specific”.
Murdoch, however, said while the Nemato Foundation had helped the school in other ways, like providing a container for a kitchen and books to start a library, there was no agreement to fix the toilets at the government school.
"The toilets are beyond unsanitary,” she said. "The situation must be exposed.”
