Introduction
According to Hornby (2006), sanitary is being free from dirt and germs. The Oxford Advance Dictionary 6th edition says that sanitation is connected with keeping a place clean and healthy to live in especially by removing human waste. Thesanurus (2010) defined conveniences as availability usefulness, useful thing, accommodation and comfort. The Longman Dictionary (2011) also defines sanitary conveniences as a hygienic condition that tends to promotes or preserve health.
But if it is not well sanitary and it is not sufficient to meet the need of individuals in the school it is said to be inadequate sanitary conveniences. Inadequate sanitary conveniences is a major health problem in most school environments or institution in Nigeria, because it causes a lot of inconveniences to students in that; student cannot easily find a place where they can either urinate or defecate and in school cases they can leave their lecture halls to their distant homes to use the toilet.
And because of the insanitary and inadequate sanitary conveniences some students went to the open space (field) to defecate indiscriminately thereby resulting to unpleasant odour around the classes. Odiza (2002), states that faeces contain billions of pathogenic organisms so the unsanitary way of disposing faeces in the school environment always provide opportunities for the spread of infections within the school environment. Water and soil pollution is also associated with indiscriminate disposal of faeces.
World Health Organization (WHO) also observed that inadequate sanitation is a major cause of diseases world-wide. Sharma (2002) observed that most individuals after defecating in field they did not wash their hand because even the few conveniences that are available in the school lack portable water supply so these are some problems that students are facing. That is why the need for the provision of sanitary conveniences cannot be over emphasized especially in public institution.
For more understanding o the following bullet point will be consider.
Types of sanitary conveniences
Sanitary conveniences could also mean a room containing a toilet bathroom with toilet, lavatory, WC water closet, cloak room, closet, ease which include:
- Pit latrine
- Water closet latrine
- Chemical latrine
- Bush attack method
- Incinerating latrine
Causes of inadequate sanitary conveniences
Lack of planning or poor planning
This result from the poor construction of the sanitary conveniences, thereby preventing more ventilation into the sanitary conveniences and this resulting to odour nuisance and infestation.
Attitude of workers and students
Most of the workers and students shows an “ I don’t care attitude to the sanitary conveniences and the facilities then because it does not belong to them but belong the government this result in misuse of the sanitary conveniences and lack of care for them.
Inadequate water supply
According to Sally (2015) defined inadequate as not enough or good enough. So if the water is not enough to flush the toilet that will make the toilet to have an offensive odour and it will cause irritation and discomfort to the student, worker etc. John (2008) state that a clean water supply especially in regard to sewage is the most important determinant of public health as it even discourage personal hygiene practices by simple hand washing with soap after contact with stool and also for flushing. So if the water is not adequate it will lead to;
- Odour nuisance
- Flies infestation
- Discomfort
- Irritation
- Unsightedness
Problems associated with inadequate sanitary conveniences
Overcrowding when there are too many people using a single toilet, it will lead to many types of diseases such as venereal disease occurring as a result of common usage of sanitary conveniences by both infected and non-infected individuals. In 2011, the world health organization (WHO), states that inadequate sanitary conveniences enhance the transfer of bacterial, virus and parasite found in human excreta which lead to a major diseases such as Vaginal/ yeast infection, trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginasis vaginal infection shcistosomiasis and all of these causes a great effect in the health of student and making many to keep away from school.
Broken floor: when durable materials are not used in constructing the sanitary conveniences it can cause harm to student in that student can easily get injuring and that might lead to absenteeism of student from school.
Effect of inadequate sanitary conveniences
It leads to infections for students especially the female:
- School absenteeism.
- Inability for student to concentrate and learn
- Poor Performance of student
- Public Embarrassment
- Flies infestation
- Odour Nuisances
It leads to infection for student especially the females when females students use toilet that is not sanitary they might contact a disease known as vaginal yeast infection.
Cairncross (2008) observed that lack of adequate sanitation and separate sanitation facilities in school is one of the main factor preventing girls from attending school particularly when menstruating. Drake et al., (2000) opined that infection has also been shown to influence children’s cognitively ability and school attendance.
School absenteeism: When a student is stooling or a female student is menstruating that particular student will absence herself from school because she knew that when they come to school they will not be able to use the toilet because of the insanitary condition of the toilet.
Solution to the problems of inadequate sanitary conveniences
Due to the problem associated with the inadequate sanitary conveniences in schools. The administration and management should ensure that there are adequate provisions of sanitary conveniences in the school environment. And there should be an effective facilities in the sanitary conveniences then regular sanitary inspection should be carryout. When all of these are put in place it will helps to reduce the problem that are associated with inadequate sanitary conveniences.
The benefits of good sanitary conveniences
According to Total Sanitation Campaign (2009) state that going to school in a clean environment is every child’s right, it also observed that school environment ought to be a healthy place where disease will not be transmitted easily as the health condition of students affect their ability to concentrate.
So when the convenience is healthy it will help to prevent diseases such as vaginal yeast infection, schtosomiasis etc. it will improved the moral life of the student it will create a healthy environment for the students and also:
- It will reduce odour and flies infestation
- It will reduce stress of student going to their distant home to use the toilet.
- It will reduce absenteeism from school
- It will improved the beauty, the dignity, safety and the self-esteem of the physical environment world health organization (WHO, 2011).
Conclusion
Sanitary conveniences such as latrine, bathroom and water supply are basic needs that human needs in the environment. Where ever they found themselves. Students and every individuals need an access to a sanitary conveniences. For student to concentrate and learn well they need water supply toilet, urinals etc these are needed to make learning very infective and the health of all student will be guarantee but if an of these are not there it will lead to poor performance and poor health of students. Therefore serious effort should be made for the provision of the adequate sanitary conveniences in school.
Recommendations
Due to the problems associated with the inadequate sanitary conveniences in schools the following recommendation are look into with a view in putting them into practices.
- School administration should ensure that there are adequate provision of sanitary conveniences in schools
- The school management should regularly carryout sanitary conveniences inspection in the school to ensure that they are functioning well and clean.
- Students using the sanitary conveniences should be monitored to avoid filthiness which can discourage the usage.
- Sanitary conveniences should be sufficient especially for the females.
References
Carncross, S. (2008). The public and domestic domain in the transmission of Disease. Tropical Medicine and International Health 1, 27-34
Drake, S. (2000). Cognitive and developmental impact. Pediatric affections disease 11,245-251.
Freddre, H. (2011). Every day Health tips retrieved on 21st September 2015 from from www.everydayhealth.com
Longman Dictionary (2011). Definition of sanitation (6th ed). Highbury: Universal Publishers
Olojoba, A. O. (2009). Millennium technology in waste management and environmental pollution instigation: Ughelli: Ama Ohoror.
Odize, P. (2009). National book on environmental sanitation. Onitsha: Nejo Publisher.
Paul, J. (2006). Flushing out sociology using the urinals game and bathroom evictions Paris: University Press
Shamma, L. (2002). The water enyclopscia (2nd ed) London: Lewis Publishers Inc
Total Sanitation Campaign (2009) Foundation of School Health: Geneva W.H.O.
Veneman, A. M. (2000). UNICEF joint press release: 6 in 10 Africans remains without access to paper toilet poor sanitation threatens public. Geneva: WHO.