Authorities of Public Basic Schools in the La Nkwantanang and Ga East Municipalities are charging pupils five Cedis per term for maintenance of toilet facilities in schools constructed under the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, GAMA Sanitation and Water Project.
Although this levy is taken separately from PTA dues each term, the Head Teachers believe it is inadequate because they have to employ the services of janitors to clean these facilities.
This came to light when members of the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation inspected a number of toilet facilities constructed under the GAMA Sanitation and Water Project.
The schools visited are the Madina S.D.A, Queen of Peace R/C and Wass Experimental basic schools in the La Nkwantanang Municipal Assembly as well as the Abokobi Presby “1” Primary Basic school in the Ga East Municipality.
There were 12 toilet units in each school, serving more than three thousand three hundred pupils in the 4 schools.
Interestingly, all the schools visited charge pupils 5 cedis per term for maintenance of the facility.
According to the headmistress of Queen of Peace R/C basic school Rhoda Dabinla, the amount is inadequate. She said ” the 5 cedis per term is not enough….we dont have enough money to pay two janitors so we have employed only one for now”
Headmaster of Wass Experimental Basic School Samuel Kolbila shared similar sentiments.
Patron of the Media Coalition against Open Defecation Dr. Doris Dartey raised concerns about the poor maintenance of the facilities.
“So far we haven’t been satisfied with the maintenance of this world class facilities. What will be the state of these state of the art facilities in a few years from now?”
The GAMA Sanitation and Water Project is a World Bank initiative aimed at improving sanitation and water supply to low income communities in Ghana.
The tour of the schools by members of the Media Coalition against Open Defecation was supported by GAMA Project.
