The lack of toilet facilities in many public schools in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region has become a major sanitation concern, with authorities warning that the situation is exposing thousands of pupils and residents to serious health risks.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Amansie Central, Mr. Emmanuel Obeng-Agyemang, has described the situation as alarming, revealing that Twapiase Senior High School and several public basic schools are operating without toilet facilities.
According to him, the district, with Jacobu as its capital and comprising 216 communities, continues to battle poor sanitation infrastructure, resulting in widespread open defecation.
He disclosed that investigations conducted by the District Assembly revealed that in many instances, contractors awarded contracts for school infrastructure excluded the construction of washrooms, leaving educational institutions without basic sanitation facilities.
“It is unacceptable for schools to operate without toilets, especially a senior high school. The situation at Twapiase SHS is worrying and requires immediate intervention,” the DCE said.
Mr. Obeng-Agyemang further disclosed that an estimated 75 percent of households in the district do not have household toilet facilities, forcing many residents to resort to open defecation.
He warned that the sanitation challenge poses significant health and environmental risks and undermines efforts to improve public health and education in the district.
To tackle the problem, the District Assembly is planning to provide building materials to support households and communities in constructing toilet facilities as part of measures to eliminate open defecation.
The Assembly is also seeking support from the government, development partners, non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to help provide sanitation facilities for schools and communities that currently lack them.
The District Environmental Health Analyst, Mr. Dennis Klu, expressed concern over the sanitation crisis, describing the absence of toilet facilities in schools as a major public health threat.
He noted that pupils are often compelled to use nearby bushes, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks and environmental pollution.
Mr. Klu stressed that improving access to sanitation facilities is essential to safeguarding the health of schoolchildren and promoting a clean environment.
The Assistant Development Planning Officer for the district, Mr. Ansu Benedict, also called for urgent action to address the sanitation deficit.
He disclosed that the Assembly has introduced measures requiring contractors executing new educational infrastructure projects to include toilet facilities in their designs.
According to him, the policy has already produced positive results, with most newly constructed primary schools now fitted with toilet facilities.
He, however, acknowledged that many older schools continue to face serious sanitation challenges and require immediate rehabilitation and support.
Residents have also appealed to the government and other stakeholders to prioritise the provision of toilet facilities in schools, arguing that no child should be compelled to study in an environment without access to decent sanitation.
They believe addressing the sanitation deficit will not only improve hygiene and public health but also enhance school attendance, protect the dignity of pupils and support the district’s efforts to achieve open defecation-free status.
