46% of FCT public schools lack toilets, water

About 46 per cent of public Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are without boreholes and toilet facilities.  According to statistics released by the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) based on the 2016/2017 academic session, 98 out of 161 junior secondary schools in the FCT are without boreholes. The document […]

About 46 per cent of public Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are without boreholes and toilet facilities. 

According to statistics released by the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) based on the 2016/2017 academic session, 98 out of 161 junior secondary schools in the FCT are without boreholes.

The document obtained from the website of  the FCT UBEB shows that 49 JSS are also without toilet facilities thereby raising questions about the sanitary conditions of the schools. 

A significant number of the 13,0662 students in these public junior secondary schools engage in open defecation. 

The record shows that only 65 schools have boreholes.

In some of the schools listed in the document and visited by our reporters, students defecate openly at the back of their classrooms. 

As our reporters approached the backyard of the classroom blocks at the Kuchigoro Junior Secondary School (KJSS), Airport Road, Abuja, the acrid smell of faeces and the pungent odour of urine wafted across the humid June air.  Pupils from the primary section of the school were seen defecating in the green grass  at the back of the old block of classrooms.

Structures that looked like toilet buildings stood nearby but were under lock and key; one of the blocks looked decrepit, with the roof blown off, while the other one appeared relatively okay but was locked, probably reserved for teachers. 

KJSS does not also have water supply and so its students use the borehole of the primary section.

When our reporters approached the Principal, Mr. Christopher Asibor, he said  the UBEB was aware of the situation in the school and was in a better position to talk on the issue.  

At JSS Tudun Wada, Wuse Zone 4, the principal said our reporters had no right going to verify facilities in the school unless they came with a written permission from the board.

Even with that, Aso Chronicle observed that the toilet building was dilapidated and looked as if it was not in use. The other building that looked like a toilet was in good shape but was locked.

Penultimate week, cholera outbreak at a public school in Kaduna State claimed one life and left 40 others hospitalised, while 15 were treated and discharged. The incident has raised concerns about public health issues in schools in the FCT that lack water supply and toilet facilities.

Abaji Area Council has the highest number of schools without boreholes; with 81.3 per cent. The statistics shows that only three out of the 16 unior secondary schools in the council have boreholes. This shows that 5,644 students in 16 schools in the area council get water from three boreholes and use 42 toilets. 

Bwari Area Council has 23 junior secondary schools with 27,754 students enrolled during the 2016/2017 academic session. 

These students have access to 121 toilets and just 15 boreholes. 

The 19,808 students in public junior secondary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council use 149 toilets and eight boreholes while the  25 schools in Kuje Area Council with 11,682 students are without boreholes and toilets. 

There are 11 boreholes for 7,655 students in Kwali Area Council, while six schools out of 17 in the council are without toilets.  

Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has the highest number of public junior secondary schools, 62, out of which 64 per cent are without boreholes. 16 schools in the council are without toilets. Schools in satellite towns and urban slums  are mostly without toilet facilities and boreholes.

The document shows that in JSS Orozo, there is  no toilet for the 2,072 students, while same is obtainable in JSS Gosa, with 1,917 students. 

The junior secondary schools in Kuchigoro, Idu-Koro, Kpeyegi, Saburi  and Kagini also have high enrolment figures but are without toilet facilities. 

When our reporters visited JSS Zone 6, the toilets were in good condition, though the UBEB website had shown that there were no toilets in the school.

The Board Member I of the FCT UBEB, Alhaji Usman Yahaya, said there was no school that was established in the territory without toilet facilities.  

Alh. Yahay said, “The only problem we have in the FCT is a peculiar one; which is, you may have a school of 1,000 students with a projection of additional 200 to 300 students yearly, but you may end up having an intake of additional 1,000 students yearly. As a result of influx of people into the FCT, the facilities are overstretched. If we project for 1,000 students, in the next three years, we expect 3,000 students, but we may end up with 5,000 students.”

On the issue of water in the schools, he said about 70 per cent of schools within Abuja had access to pipe borne water from the FCT Water Board and did not need boreholes. 

“But if you go to the rural areas, virtually every school has a borehole, it may not be functional as some may be faulty, but as a board, it is our duty to provide the facilities.

“I appreciate your effort to have been able to discover that some of the toilets were locked up in some schools. It may be that some are not functional or are damaged. 

“Education for all is the responsibility of all. We are going to do our own part to investigate why these toilets are not being used. 

“You cannot expect a student to carry a bucket of water from home to flush the toilet. So from your investigation, it is for us to go and make special visit to these toilet facilities and see how to ensure that at least 90 per cent of students have access to toilets,” he assured. 

On open defecation, he said, “If toilets are provided, then you can punish students that engage in open defecation. I see no reason why schools will have toilets and lock them up. If the facilities are not enough, they are to write to the board.”

He said the board could not provide amenities 100 per cent “but there are barest minimum that we can allow things to go and sanitary condition is one. If we provide a school we must provide toilets and if the toilets are not enough we must look for means of tackling the challenge.”