Moldova’s school sanitation problem: outdoor toilets persist
We are in the era of technology, yet outdoor toilets in schools are still the norm.
The lack of indoor sanitation facilities in schools remains a persistent problem that is difficult to solve. At the beginning of last year, the government allocated 25 million lei for the renovation, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of sanitation facilities in educational institutions. The documents to begin the work were signed recently.
At the Racovăț Gymnasium in the Soroca district, 190 children study. The school has been renovated, but it lacks indoor toilet facilities.
"In the 21st century, when everything else has been modernized, having an outdoor toilet is quite difficult. It would be much easier to have a toilet inside the school, as it would improve the situation," says one teacher.
"It’s quite difficult. I think it’s even harder for younger children, especially in primary school," says another teacher.
To ensure their safety, primary school students are escorted to the toilets by their teachers.
"They go outside dressed lightly, especially in winter when it’s icy, and they slip. We have to accompany and supervise them, and we really wish we had indoor toilets in the school," says teacher Dorina Andrieș.
"Last year, we applied for a project funded by the World Bank, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, called 'Sanitation and Water Supply Services in Moldova.' We have high hopes for this project. We’ve already planned with contractors who have visited the school multiple times," says Oxana Țapu, the principal of the Racovăț Gymnasium.
Meanwhile, there are schools that meet all the standards. Aristotel High School in the capital, built between 2008 and 2009, was designed from the start with indoor toilet facilities. Over 17 years, only cosmetic repairs have been carried out.
"We have all the necessary facilities. There are separate toilets for boys and girls on each floor, with multiple cubicles inside. We also have hygiene products, hot and cold water, and everything else we need," says school director Pavel Cerbușca.
"The administration ensures the best conditions for us, and we don’t face problems like having to go outside," he adds.
By next year, 160 new or renovated toilet blocks will be constructed in schools across the country.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
