Evaluation of sanitation facilities in township schools of the Matlosana Local Municipality

Abstract

Learners at the public schools of North West Province in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda Education region, within the Matlosana Local municipality’s municipal area of jurisdiction, are exposed to unhygienic health hazard conditions due to insufficient toilet facilities used by a large number of learners and poor health conditions resulting out of it, which might cause and spread health related diseases to the users of these toilet facilities. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the nature and extent of the provisioning and maintenance of toilet facilities in the public schools within the Matlosana Local Municipality’s municipal area. A questionnaire was designed and distributed to obtain information from 57 respondents who comprised of the 3 schools principals who constituted 5% of the research population, 18 educators who constituted 32% and 36 learners who constituted 63%, all totalling 100% of the research sample size, at Are-Fadimeheng; Dominion Reefs and Nkagisang public schools. The findings revealed that the majority, which is 85% of the research population (learners and educators) as users of these facilities are affected and were generally unhappy about the prevailing conditions of the school toilet facilities. This they attribute to lack of proper budgeting as the main cause. The most aggravating factor is the absence of a janitor with plumbing skills to look after the schools’ toilet facilities. Findings highlighted that school learners and educators deserve as their human right to live under acceptable health conditions and clean environment. However it is the responsibility of the Government to expand the existing schools toilet structures which are in line with the National Building regulation ratio of 1:25 of users per toilet as recommended by Department of Water Affairs (DWA), to ensure health for all. The results of this study can assist the government to embark on strategic intervention programmes that can improve conditions of public schools toilet facilities in the North West Province, South Africa to meet the Millenium Development Goals (MDG) target in addressing sanitation backlogs by half in 2015. Conclusions for the study were drawn and recommendations were made for the improvement of conditions in the Public Schools Toilet facilities.