Open defecation in Iganmode Junior School, Ota

WASH field report

By Dr Babatope Babalobi and Racheal Ogundipe

eWASH paid a visit to Iganmode Grammar School, Ota Ogun State, Nigeria on the 16th of March 2023 to assess the status of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in the School. The visit was undertaken as part of the School Led Total Sanitation programme being implemented by Bread of Life Development Foundation with the support of  Ado/Odo Ota Local Government Education Authority, Ogun State, Nigeria. We asked questions and observed the following:

1. The sources of drinking water in the school.
2. History and causes of waterborne illnesses such as diarrhoea or cholera.
3. Availability of gender-sensitive toilets in the school.
4. Students toilet usage.
5. Availability of water in toilets as well as the cleanliness and those responsible for the cleanliness.
6. Presence of handwashing facilities in the toilet such as Soap and Water.
7. Attention to privacy for proper menstrual hygiene facilities and materials such as water, access to sanitary pads, waste bins, private space, etc.
8. Water, sanitation, and hygiene challenges as a student.

The team met with the Vice Principal of the school, Mrs Owolabi, who gave a brief on the WASH situation at the school which has a population of about 3000 students and about 75 staff.

Our findings are:

• The school has 3 toilet blocks, 2 blocks for students and one for the teachers. For the student’s toilet, the first toilet block has 14 units of water closets (7 for each gender) while the second block has 10 units of water closets (5 for each gender).
• The senior and junior school female hostels each has 5 water closet toilet units and 5 bathrooms.
• The students are in charge of the cleanliness of their toilets. There is a sanitation team in the school, comprising only the teachers. There is also an Health prefect girl and boy, in charge of students’ health
• Drinking water is from fuel generator powered boreholes. This also serves as source of water supply to the toilets.
• We leant a voluntary organization visits the school every term to treat with groundwater.
• Students still defecate in the open in spite of the presence of water flushed toilets. Faeces could be seen around the toilet facilities.
• There are no waste bins in the toilets. Solid wastes litter the ground and are burnt occasionally with its attendance affect on climate change.

Recommendations

• The school needs a proper waste disposal tank to contain solid waste generated daily.
• Sensitization campaign against open defecation by students in the School.