In a complete turnaround from his previous statement on the issue, Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh, announced yesterday that plans were in train to install flush toilets at the Santa Rosa Primary School.

Speaking at an impromptu press conference at the Ministry of Education, Baksh said that under the Education for All Fast Track Initiative Programme (EFA-FTI) the Santa Rosa Primary School was one of 15 countrywide, which benefited from the improvement part of the project. This  entailed each school being given $1 million for the improvements and in its proposal, he said, Santa Rosa indicated that the money, which has been handed over, would be used to build additional class rooms and sanitary blocks.

“So they would be using the $1 million to build sanitary facilities at Santa Rosa,” he said. “This is part of the plan, we would not be pushed into this, we have a plan and it is working.”

This is the first time the minister has mentioned the EFA-FTI since the tragic death of Tenesha De Souza, who fell into a pit latrine on her first day of school.

The school’s Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) is clearly not aware of this plan as it has publicly asked for donations to build sanitary blocks, stating that it has already received a donation of sand to start the process. The PTA, in a release, had stated that for years the body has been lobbying for the flush toilets at a school, which has a population of over 700 children.

The minister also referred to the Alliance For Change’s plan to donate toilet bowls and other items to the school, as was reported in yesterday’s newspaper, and said he would not allow the party to use the issue for its “political agenda”.

‘Moving in
that direction’
According to Baksh, in Region One, where Santa Rosa is located, 30% of the schools have flush toilets and some also had pit latrines, which they had to use during the dry season when water was not available.

The minister said in the years in 2005, 2006 and 2007 his ministry spent over $1 billion rehabilitating schools and a major component of which was the building of “good sanitary blocks”.

He announced: “All new schools being built, wherever it is feasible, we put in sanitary blocks. Under our EFA-FTI programme for the hinterland communities over the last two years, we have put… 37 sanitary blocks where this is possible. In some areas, we could not put it in because there was no water supply. In some instances you have to build wells at great cost and in some areas you can’t build wells because of no water.”

He said that  in another three years some 50 more sanitary blocks would be built in these areas, adding that it must be borne  “in mind that we have 1,000 schools in this country; it is a big task it is a challenge but we are moving in that direction.”

He said he had visited a school at Patentia, West Bank Demerara earlier this year and found that even though it had a sanitary block, there were still some pit latrines. He said he ordered that the sanitary block be extended and pit latrines demolished.

The minister also said there was a five-year plan for improving the sanitary blocks in all of the schools in Georgetown.

Misquoted
The minister also accused this newspaper of misquoting him on the pit latrine issue. However, this reporter, who had originally spoken to the minister on the issue, reminded him that when he was asked whether, following the death of the child, his ministry had plans to phase out pit latrines, he had said “no” since they were internationally accepted.

The reporter also reminded him that he followed that by referring to PAHO as one of the agencies that accepted pit latrines as a proper form of sanitary disposal and had said that maybe in another few years the school would get flush toilet since it was “an expensive exercise”.

The minister did not deny making those statements. But insisted that he was quoted as saying that the ministry had no plans to phase out pit latrines and that was a misrepresentation of what he had said and what his ministry stood for. “Yes I accept, but when you put it out of context…” the minister said.
This newspaper’s initial report on the issue after speaking with the minister had said:

“However, while the calls are being made Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh when contacted said that the ministry had no intention of phasing out pit latrines since these are internationally accepted as proper means of sanitation disposal.

“He noted that a number of international organisations, such as PAHO, recognise pit latrines as proper means of faeces disposal. He described the death of the child as an ‘unfortunate accident’ and said the ministry was awaiting a full report on the incident. He said the police were conducting an investigation to ensure that there was nothing criminal about the incident.

He suggested that there might have been some negligence as the young girl should have been sent to the toilet with someone who could have assisted her since she was ill. He said his ministry would be working on phasing out pit latrines from schools eventually, but noted that it would be costly and would take some years to be achieved. Further, the minister said, in many parts of Guyana, including along the coast, pit latrines were still being used especially in those areas where water was not readily available. He pointed out that entire housing schemes have been constructed with pit latrines.”

At no time during that brief interview did the minister mention the EFA-FTI project or that plans were in train to build flush toilets at the school.

‘Political football’
Meanwhile, referring to the AFC’s announcement that it would assist in building flush toilets for the school, the minister said, “I want to tell the AFC that they cannot and would not be allowed. It would have to be done only with the permission of the school management, the regional education department and the regional administration. They would not be allowed to go to the school. They would have to get the permission of those bodies and finally, perhaps, the Ministry of Education.” He said while the ministry would accept assistance from international organisations such as PAHO and non-governmental organisations, “we would not allow the AFC to use this as a political agenda for their political objectives and goals to go into these schools and do what they want.
“They would have to work along with the established system and I want to make that clear, they jumping on the bandwagon wildly, I must say.

“This is a matter concerning the health [and] safety of school children in Guyana which I as minister and the Ministry of Education have deepest concern for and we would work tirelessly to ensure the safety and health of the school population.”

It was pointed out to the minister that the PTA of the school had publicly asked for assistance to build the toilets and the AFC had responded. But he insisted, “They have to get approval. The PTA does not control the school… They cannot use it for political objectives…”

Contacted last evening about the minister’s comments AFC leader, Raphael Trotman, said: “If the minister wants to stand against little children and their parents by preventing them from having modern lavatory facilities then the only thing I can say is that I pray to God that his heart would soften.”

He said he still planned to donate the items to the parents of the school. He described the minister’s comments as “misinformed and unfortunate” adding that the minister “obviously” did not understand the gravity of what happened on the day the child died. He said his party had anticipated that the government would have attempted to block its move to assist the school and had decided to hand over the items to the parents.