By Mike Rwothomio

Parents of learners at the government-aided Padea Primary School in Zombo District, West Nile sub-region, are urgently appealing to district leadership and local authorities to address a severe sanitation crisis after both pupils’ latrine blocks became completely full.

The situation has left more than 1,800 learners without functional sanitary facilities, exposing them to significant public health risks and disrupting the teaching and learning process.

The school’s sanitation infrastructure is severely strained. Only two latrine blocks each with four stances for boys and girls and constructed in 2017 are available, and both are already at capacity. 

This has forced learners to resort to a nearby bush or the church’s latrine, a situation parents describe as unacceptable.

Christopher Oyirwoth, LCI chairperson of Juba Cell where the school is located, expressed concern over the “dire and terrible” conditions learners face daily.

“The school infrastructure has improved but the major challenge is the latrine… latrine… latrine. For once, why can’t the district come and rescue our learners here? The situation is terrible for us who see learners struggling here,” Oyirwoth said.

Ms Juliet Oroma, vice chairperson of the School Management Committee (SMC), said the filled latrine stances have forced many pupils into open defecation or the use of unsafe alternatives. 

“This situation, particularly during rainy weather when the facilities overflow with maggots and contaminated effluent, makes many of our children abandon the school,” she said.

Similarly, David Oyirwoth, a catechist of Ayaka Chapel, noted: “As the church, the situation is getting worsened every day. You find all these learners are going to access our facility which is of a small capacity. It is also getting full. We request the government to come and assist the school.”

Established in 1973 as the only government-aided primary school in Padea Town Council, the institution serves learners from the town, neighbouring sub-counties of Abanga and Jangokoro, and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mr Charles Orach, the teacher in charge of health at the school, said learners at times fail to report back for lessons for fear that they will carry the smell on their clothes back to classrooms.

He added that this situation is making many learners leave the school.

Anthony Mungujakisa, the school’s Director of Studies, said: “We are getting challenge when it comes with sharing sanitary facility with learners. At times some of them are abandoning classes. We really need support.”

Head teacher Jimmy Bithum acknowledged the crisis, stating that “the school completely lacks the funds to construct or empty the latrines. The town council tried to extend some funds but were cut short, we are really stuck as the school.”

The situation has been complicated by current government policies under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme that strictly prohibit public schools from charging parents additional fees, further limiting options for emergency interventions.

The LCIII Chairman of Padea Town Council, Melki Onyutha Orwothowun, speaking during a recent engagement organised by Rice West and Space in Nyapea Sub-County headquarters, described the situation as alarming, adding that they are in a complete state of bother due to limited resources.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), approximately 37% of primary schools and 25% of secondary schools in Uganda lack access to clean water, while 60% of rural schools are without basic sanitation facilities.

Leaders respond

Hassan Ringtho, the Zombo District Vice LCV Chairperson, assured parents that the local government is developing a future plan to assist the school, though no immediate timeline or funding commitment has been announced.

Ringtho, who described the Padea situation as “concerning and alarming,” added that “we have just been in a meeting with some development partners and we laid many of our challenges. We are hopeful that Padea issue will be addressed in the next
 financial year.”

The challenges at Padea Primary School reflect a broader national crisis in school sanitation infrastructure, particularly in rural government-aided institutions.

During a recent engagement organised by NGO Space in Nyapea Sub-County, the LCV Chairperson of Zombo, James Oruna Oyullu, acknowledged the sanitary facility crisis in Padea, which he said is facing many schools across the district.

Meanwhile, Zombo Assistant RDC Bruno Mananu urged the school and district to plan immediately to avoid future disaster.

According to the Ministry of Education and Sports, the recommended pupil-to-latrine stance ratio is 1:40. However, data from recent education statistical abstracts and the Auditor General’s reports show that the average ratio in sampled government primary schools has deteriorated to between 62:1 and 67:1 in recent financial years, far exceeding the national standard.

For adolescent girls, the absence of private, gender-segregated and clean facilities severely compromises menstrual hygiene management. Many miss several days of school each month, resulting in cumulative learning losses.

To partly address the crisis, Head teacher Jimmy Bithum has established a facility well stocked with pads, undies and soap, among other items, for girls who have reached the stage of menstruation.

World Bank data has estimated that about five million Ugandan girls lose up to 18 percent of their annual school time due to menstruation-related issues, many of which are exacerbated by the lack of functional latrines and washing facilities.

In rural settings, the disadvantages are magnified. Schools often lack reliable water sources for handwashing, separate facilities for boys, girls and teachers, or accessible stances for learners with disabilities. 

This leads to shared use across genders and age groups, privacy violations, heightened risk of gender-based violence or harassment near distant facilities, and open defecation that contaminates the school environment and nearby water sources.

Vice LCV Chairperson Hassan Ringtho expressed optimism that phased improvements in sanitation infrastructure could enhance learning outcomes in Zombo District, where dropout rates, high rates of early marriage and teenage pregnancy already hinder educational progress.

This financial year, Zombo allocated the education sector the largest share of the budget, amounting to Shs 18,860,095,566. The funds are earmarked for salaries of primary and secondary school teachers, district-based staff and tutors, as well as the construction of classrooms with offices and stores, and VIP latrines in selected schools across the district.

One of the filled up stances

The Church's available latrine facility that has become the only alternative for learners.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at Zoomer Africa, your number one grassroot information hub for African news, trends, and updates. Download our app on Google play for quick updates.