Students and teachers at Raling Secondary School, Baragaun, Simkot Rural Municipality-3, are facing difficulties due to the lack of toilet facilities at the school. Teacher Suryamani Bohara said that the school has a 20-year-old dilapidated toilet, which has been in poor condition for a long time, causing various challenges for both students and teachers when using the facilities. According to him, another significant issue is the absence of a sanitary pad-friendly toilet, making it difficult for female students and teachers.
Student Gita Bhandari, studying in Grade 10, expressed her frustration, stating that the lack of such a toilet has caused distress, especially during menstruation. She further added that the absence of a sanitary pad-friendly toilet makes it difficult for female students to attend school during their menstrual periods. Similarly, due to the lack of a sanitary pad-friendly toilet, Grade 9 student Bipana Bohara complained that students are forced to go outside to use the toilet, which not only creates an unpleasant odor but also has other negative effects.
The issue of inadequate toilet facilities is prevalent in most schools in Humla. Although the school ward connected to the district headquarters Simkot, should ideally face fewer challenges, it is experiencing similar problems as other schools. According to teacher Bohara, the school has two old toilets, but they are of poor quality, which has caused difficulties for both teachers and students. Currently, the school has 18 teachers and 167 students, including five female teachers and 76 female students. The lack of gender-friendly toilets has forced these female students and teachers to use the facilities in unsafe and inconvenient ways.
Despite the geographical remoteness of Humla, the lack of proper toilet facilities in the school has further exacerbated the problems faced by the students. Last year, UNICEF and SUSA organizations conducted a survey for the construction of new toilets at the school. However, due to budget constraints, the construction could not take place, as stated by the School Management Committee Chairperson, Bal Bhandari. He mentioned that despite multiple requests to the local government and other concerned authorities for the construction of toilets, no one has taken any action. Currently, one dilapidated toilet at the school is being used by the teachers, while female students are forced to wait in long lines for hours to use the same facility, which has become a significant issue for them.
