by Shelley Humphreys, CEO, Save Our Schools NPO
The deadline that basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube set for the eradication of pit latrines is fast approaching. All indications are: this is another deadline that will not be met.
This is despite the minister’s recent announcement that 93% of pit latrines have been replaced at 3372 schools identified by the department.
There are a lot of questions about this eradication plan. I’ve been trying to find out what schools are on the identified list, but haven’t had much luck.
It’s not clear if there is an official list that the public can see.
It leaves one to wonder: how were the schools on the official list identified? What about all the other rural schools which have not made the list?
Numbers not forthcoming
Our organisation, Save Our Schools NPO (SOSNPO), along with partner NGO’s have, since November last year, identified 26 schools in the Eastern Cape’s Alfred Nzo District that still have pit toilets. From conversations with the principals and teachers, it seems they are not on any list and are not expecting help to arrive anytime soon.
Many South African schools are still struggling with access to basic Water and Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH). But data is very difficult to access.
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According to media reports, almost 11,000 schools in the country are without a single flushing toilet and 383 schools do not have access to running water. The daily reality for thousands of learners across the country is that the only toilets they have available to relieve themselves are broken, unhygienic and structurally dangerous – often with no access to water and soap to wash their hands. Some of these schools rely on harvested rainwater and water collected from nearby streams for both drinking and cooking, which will result in health issues.
The SAFE Schools App launched in December 2024 appears to be a basic website which allows users to report a school that still has pit latrines. But it doesn’t provide the user with any other data or insights.
The SAFE (Sanitation Appropriate for Education) programme launched in 2018 has made slow progress due to the sheer size of the task at hand. SAFE’s goal is to provide adequate sanitation facilities to schools across South Africa.
But each year, when the eradication goal is not reached, the deadline is simply extended.
We know that the upcoming deadline given by Minister Gwarube is not humanly possible to reach.
The need for open data
It would be so helpful if there were a non-political, open-access platform to assist the government, public and private sectors to come together and join forces. Collaborations work where co-ownership and co-governance are established early on. The focus needs to be on the collective – we owe this to the new generation.
Last year SOSNPO launched the PitStop! EradicaTour movement, to collect data and conduct detailed research on access to WASH within schools and communities. Our approach to research and data collection is very different from traditional approaches. It includes site visits and conversations with residents in very different communities and areas across South Africa.
Our aim is to extend the movement across Africa, where many communities have no access to basic water and sanitation. We want to bring dignity to people, giving access to hygienic toilets and hand-washing facilities. This will, in itself, improve health in the community and reduce the huge pressure on community clinics. The situations are very different, but a series of best practices and solution models can be drawn across communities and countries.
The goal of the EradicaTour Coordination Office (ECO) to share these findings widely and create a series of Blueprints, which can be adapted to local challenges.
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The views and opinions expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author, who is not employed by Health-e News. Health-e News is committed to presenting diverse perspectives to enrich public discourse on health-related issues.
