MP blasts school's Third World facilities
Students and teachers at a high school in Morley are forced to use toilet facilities that are "disgraceful" and "Third World", according to Federal Labor MP Alannah MacTiernan.
She said Hampton Senior High School staff and students had no access to hot water in any of the toilets and the facilities had barely changed since the school was built in the 1960s.
"These were disgraceful," the Member for Perth said.
"They looked filthy because of all the cracking and it would be hard to see how these things could be made to be hygienic.
"The teachers and the canteen ladies have no hot water."
Ms MacTiernan, who toured the school on Friday after she was invited by a parent, said the toilet facilities were the worst she had seen in any school.
"Seriously, they were Third World," she said.
"It's what you would expect if you went into a public lavatory in the backblocks of Indonesia somewhere.
"I believe it's degrading for our students, in this day and age, to be in that environment and I think it sends a message to kids that 'we don't value you'."
The president of Hampton's Parents and Citizens group, Jacqui Otago, said some children refused to use the toilets during the school day because they were so run down.
Education Minister Peter Collier said yesterday the State Government had planned upgrades to some facilities, but he had asked the Education Department to investigate whether more works were required.
Facilities to be refurbished include two toilets, five shower cubicles and two handbasins for girls and one new toilet cubicle, one urinal, five showers and new basins for boys.
The work, scheduled to be finished by the start of the new school year in February in time for the arrival of Year 7s, would include replacing fixtures, re-tiling and painting.
"I've asked the Department of Education to investigate, as a matter of urgency, whether further upgrades to other toilet facilities at the school are required," Mr Collier said.
"Members of the department's infrastructure and facilities team will be attending the school next week.
"In addition to ongoing maintenance funding, Hampton Senior High School can apply for funds under the annual $1.6 million toilet upgrade program."
