Evacuation notice issued after toilets collapse at a school

The department of Public health in Nakuru has issued an evacuation notice to the management of Kisulisuli primary school following the caving in of a toilet block at the school.
The notice received by the school head teacher on Friday was issued following an inspection carried out by public health officers from Nakuru East Sub County.
The notice dated Friday May 4th, has been signed by Gladys Mung’ou for Nakuru East sub county public health officer, who said that the school should remain closed until adequate sanitary facilities are put in place.
It informs the head teacher that following collapse of a pit latrine in the school on Wednesday, the lives of the school occupants is endangered, and hence there is need to close down the institution to avoid endangering the lives of pupils.
The school head teacher has been directed to vacate pupils and staff to an alternative place until adequate sanitary facilities were provided.
According to the notice issued pursuant to section 117 of the public health act cap 242, the health authority is mandated to prevent the public from health dangers.
On Wednesday Education CEC Raymond Komen ordered the school to be closed indefinitely until adequate and safe toilets are constructed.
Following the directive, County Public Health Officer Samuel Kingóri pledged to undertake a comprehensive inspection of sanitary facilities in the school in order to ensure they were safe for use.
He added that the exercise would be extended to other education institutions in the county to ensure the safety of children.
He noted that several schools had their infrastructure destroyed as a result of the ongoing rains, hence the need to ensure safety measures were undertaken.
Currently the school has ten pit Latrines, six of which are used by girls and four for boys.
A public health officer who requested for anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media said that a recommendation had been made that at least 22 more latrines should be constructed with ten to be used by boys and 12 by girls.
The school has a population of 678 pupils.
A visit to the school by KNA however revealed that learning was going on normally in spite of the closure notice.
County director of Education Isaac Atebe denied having knowledge of the notice and said that he would investigate the matter.
The public health department has also condemned five other pit latrines at the school that have developed cracks.
Six standard one pupils at the Kisulisuli primary school were left in shock after a visit to the toilets turned awful, when the toilets collapsed two days ago.
They were however rescued by Kenya Red Cross personnel and Nakuru County firefighters who rushed to the school to rescue.
By Jane Ngugi