Pit Toilets Still A Way Of Life For Many Students

In this day and age, 2013, 140 children at St. Mary's Primary School in St. Elizabeth have to endure substandard conditions at school since no proper bathroom facilities exist except for pit toilets! Certainly, this condition cannot be the only case in Jamaica where the students do not have proper bathroom facilities. In response, the government indicates that they will fund 50% of the project to build bathrooms at the school. Using a pit toilet is not only a scary situation for many students but it is dangerous. As a child from England, I remember my first experience of horror when my mother informed me that I would have to use the pit toilet located on the property of her elderly relatives in Skibo, Portland. As noted in one of the responses to an article on the subject: "I recalled at my primary school in 1971 a student fell in the pit latrine and the fire brigade had to come to take this unfortunate child from the mess...............That was a very dark day in our capital town school ....................". Furthermore, using pit toilets do not promote proper hygiene which should be a part of the school's curriculum. How could such diplorable conditions continue for so long with no corrective actions to address the matter? Some of the other responses to the post may best address this question?

"I have made contact with the Principal...he tells, me that the MP is Richard Parchment...and that the MP has been working tirelessly for a year to get these latrines replaced...it did not take a year for the PNP to buy $60 million worth of new SUV’s for the incoming MP’s etc...Now this area has been PNP since creation...and I have doubts about Parchment working “tirelessly”. Once upon a time I was of the view that I should contribute to causes such as this...sorry no more...their parents voted for change...I am not responsible for easing their suffering...that’s what govt. MUST do...where I live you get what you vote for...these people need to grow up and stop following Political Party till them Dead."

"Are you telling me that in 2013 A PRIMARY SCHOOL (Govt. Sch) is in this condition? The NERVE of the Govt. to say they will finance 50% of the project. It is THEIR duty that this school has bathrooms with clean running water..........."

"...............Pit toilets are not a priority for elected officials.............."