Assessment of the Condition of Sanitary Conveniences in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Gombe Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Sanitary conveniences are paramount in schools to meet the physical and emotional needs of the students and other users in order to achieve maximum benefits from educational programmes. This study sought to assess the condition of sanitary conveniences in selected secondary schools in Gombe metropolis. Systematic random sampling technique was adopted to select five (5) out of
seventeen (17) schools for the study. A total of one hindered thirty-six (136) students in SS 3 representing 10% of the entire population of the selected schools were purposively selected for questionnaire administration. The study revealed male dominance over female in school attendance with 63.24% and 36.76% respectively. The result indicated that the sanitary conveniences provided were water closet, pit latrine and squat flush system. The provided conveniences in terms of number were inadequate for the sanitary use of the students and the study revealed that the student toilet ratio was higher than the recommended national standard of 1:30. The study indicated that the hindrance to patronage of school conveniences include cleanliness of the toilet, preference for open space, fear of intrusion and waiting on the queue. This was attributed to poor state of the facility, near absence of public water supply and cost of water purchase from private water vendors. Recommendations made based on the findings are that government and the school management should ensure adequate sanitary practice by upgrading pit latrine to water closet to meet national and international standard as well as provision of more sanitary conveniences for the female students to meet their needs and requirement. Adequate arrangement for the cleaning of the conveniences with sufficient detergent, disinfectants and air freshener should be provided. Damage windows and doors to the conveniences should be replaced. Provision
of water should be prioritized as an important need of the school through adequate budgeting and financing so as not to negate the gains already achieved in sanitation and hygiene education.