The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday asked the State Government to submit a report within four weeks on girls’ schools having no toilets in them. The court has also asked the Government to provide basic facilities to the schools having toilets so that no hurdles are created in the education of students.
“The court took cognisance of newspaper reports based on findings of UNICEF about the terrible condition of toilets in the girl’s schools in Jharkhand,” said Advocate General RS Majumdar.
The court has also asked the State Government to submit a report on the facilities being provided to the students in the girl’s schools and its plan to improve them.
According to Majumdar, the court wanted to ensure that all the girl’s schools must have toilets in them and should be maintained properly having all the basic facilities of water and sanitation in them. It applies to both the Government as well private girl’s schools, he added.
It was revealed in a report prepared by the UNICEF about the pathetic conditions of the girl’s schools in Jharkhand - most of the girl’s schools did not have toilets in them and those having them did not have the basic facilities like water and privacy.
The UNICEF report further said that due to the pathetic conditions of toilets in schools, girls are reluctant to go to the schools leading to the increase in the drop-out rates as they feel unsafe and ashamed in using those toilets.