Atipe primary school struggles with overcrowded toilets

11 March 2025, 8:17 am

By Emana Yonah Oruk and Oceng Amwolo

Atipe Primary School is grappling with a severe sanitation crisis, as 10,380 pupils, both boys and girls, share a limited number of toilets.

This was observed by our reporter during lunchtime, where pupils were seen struggling to access the latrines.

In an interview, Jimmy Owic, the newly appointed headteacher, expressed deep concern over the challenges facing the school.

“This is one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as headteacher, and it’s due to the increased number of pupils,” Owic said.

Despite these difficulties, he emphasised that learning is ongoing but appealed to the government and well-wishers for support.

Sam Otia, Chairperson of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), highlighted the urgent need for additional classrooms, separate toilets for boys and girls, and teachers’ toilets within the school premises.

“We have 15 qualified teachers who are willing to teach, but the challenges hindering education at Atipe need to be addressed urgently,” Otia stated.

Concerned parents voiced their worries, questioning whether the Oyam District Local Government is aware of the dire situation at Atipe Primary School.

“We don’t know if Oyam District Local Government is aware of Atipe’s struggles. If they are, we urge them to provide the necessary resources to secure our children’s future,” a parent said.

Efforts to obtain a comment from the Oyam District LC5 were unsuccessful, as his phone was unreachable at the time of press.

This crisis is particularly alarming, as it comes in the wake of Atipe Primary School’s poor performance in the 2024 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), ranking among the worst-performing schools.

Many parents are now considering transferring their children to better-performing schools, including private institutions within the district, in hopes of securing a brighter future for them.