Zombo School pupils forced to share pit latrine with church amid sanitation crisis

Zombo, Uganda: Parents and stakeholders at Padea Olyeku Primary School in Serr Parish, Abanga Sub-county, Zombo District, are urgently calling for intervention to address a worsening sanitation crisis caused by overstretched pit latrines.

The government-aided school, which serves more than 1,086 pupils from both Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is struggling with inadequate sanitation facilities, a challenge parents warn is putting pupils’ health, academic performance, and retention at risk.

Currently, the school depends on only two latrine blocks, constructed in 1998 and 2004, which are now filled to capacity. The boys’ facility is no longer usable, forcing learners to share a nearby church latrine — a situation parents described as unacceptable.

“Immediate assistance is needed. Our children are using external facilities, which is unacceptable. We urge education authorities to resolve this crisis,” a concerned parent told DailyExpress.

Another parent, Ongan, lamented that many parents are reluctant to speak out despite the severity of the problem. “The situation is dire. Learners are returning home with complaints, and we appeal for immediate intervention,” he said.

The newly appointed headteacher, Richard Wanadi, confirmed the crisis and revealed that the school has already notified the Sub-county administration. He added that, in the meantime, the school plans to use funds contributed by parents to mitigate the problem while awaiting government support.

Statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) show that 37 percent of primary schools and 25 percent of secondary schools in Uganda lack access to clean water, while 60 percent of rural schools are without basic sanitation.

This crisis comes at a time when government-aided schools in Zombo District remain closed due to a nationwide teachers’ strike, which some parents say provides an opportunity for leaders to fix the sanitation problem before learners return.

Padea Olyeku is among 92 primary schools in Zombo facing severe sanitation gaps, with Oturu-Gang Boys Primary School in Paidha Town Council also grappling with similar challenges due to high enrolment.