Ha Giang Lo Kim Dung, 10 years old, Dinh Lung school, Dong Van, does not dare to go to the toilet at school due to the trauma of falling into the toilet.
The school is 3 km away from her house, so Dung walks to school every day. Before going to school, Dung doesn't dare drink water. Sometimes she skips breakfast, trying to "take care" of her needs first so she doesn't have to go to the bathroom at school. "There is no clean bathroom in the classroom, and even sitting in the classroom, you can smell a strong smell. If you go to the bathroom, you have to go into the cornfield, it will get wet in the rain, and your hands will get cut by corn leaves," Dung said.
The toilet at Dinh Lung school (belonging to Ta Phin Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities) was built temporarily against a cliff and covered with a corrugated iron roof. In second grade, Dung once fell into a pit toilet while using the toilet. Feeling ashamed in front of her friends, she skipped school for more than a week. The teacher came to her house to advise and motivate her to return to school.
Although Tien Manh, class 4A, Ma So primary school, said the school's toilets were makeshift, far away, and there was no place to wash hands. Manh often had to hold his pee, hiding behind the trees behind the school whenever he couldn't stand it anymore.
Temporary toilet area at Dinh Lung school, Dong Van district, Ha Giang. Photo: Ha Phuong
Although Hoang Thi Thao, a student at Sinh Lung Ethnic Boarding School in Dong Van, does not have to deal with makeshift toilets, she always feels tired and scared every time she needs to take care of her personal needs. The school has more than 400 boarding students but only has one building that serves as both a toilet and a bathroom. Students have to "register" for toilet time with each other. Every time they need to use the toilet, they have to wait in line for hours to get their turn.
"I was assigned to go to the toilet late at night, taking advantage of 5 or 10 minutes to shower and clean myself. Because my friends had to wait, I was always in a hurry. One day, while I was showering, a male friend ran in and called me because 'time's up,'" Thao said.
The toilet is not divided into rooms, the corrugated iron roof is damaged, at Lung Phin Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities (Main School). Photo: Ha Phuong
The most haunting thing about the toilets at schools in Dong Van, Ha Giang is the smell. On sunny days, students rarely use them during summer vacation, but the stench from the toilets can still be smelled from 1 km away. Due to the dry weather and little rainfall, the hanging pond in the commune center and the water storage pits are often dry, leading to a shortage of water for students.
Ms. Truong Thi Hoa, Vice Principal of Ta Phin Primary and Secondary Boarding School, Dong Van District, shared that more than half of the year is the dry season, sometimes there is no rain for 6 months. The lack of water causes difficulties for students and teachers, making bathing and personal hygiene very difficult. "Not being able to bathe, not having enough water to go to the toilet, and poor quality toilets are also among the reasons why the school has difficulty maintaining student numbers," Ms. Hoa shared.
Sharing about the lack of toilets at Sinh Lung Primary and Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, Mr. Nguyen Van Lam, the school's principal, said that the school has more than 400 boarding students and more than 20 teachers, but there is only one toilet, no separate rooms, and boys and girls use them together. During the school year, students have to wait in line for their turn to use the toilet. Teachers let students use their personal hygiene, so it is often late at night before their turn comes. "Overloaded capacity and lack of water make the toilets smelly, not ensuring the quality of study and work of staff," said Mr. Lam.
The hand washing station is fully equipped but cannot operate due to lack of water. Photo: Ha Phuong
The school has a large number of students, but the toilets do not meet the needs of the students. The toilets are substandard, smelly, and do not have water to flush. Poor facilities cause students to drop out of school, do not attend school regularly, and affect the quality of learning and work of teachers and students, said Mr. Cha My Dinh, a teacher at Ma Le Ethnic Boarding School.
According to the Deputy Head of the Departmentof Education and Training of Dong Van District - Le Quang Hien, the infrastructure, including the quality of local toilets, is still low. Most schools lack toilets, and the auxiliary buildings are dilapidated, lack water, and do not have a self-destruct system. Some schools have solid toilets but lack water, are overloaded, and lack areas for male and female students. This has a significant impact on the health as well as the quality of life and study of teachers and students in the locality.
Ha Phuong
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