It is no secret that public toilets, such as those in government schools or offices can be a total nightmare.
Dark, dank and dirty, many Malaysians who are familiar with these toilets know the struggle of trying not to eat or drink too much just to avoid having to use the toilet.
It is an age-old problem and the Ministry of Education is finally attempting to do something about it.
Yesterday, Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin said his ministry will start implementing better toilet designs in Malaysian schools.
“There have been complaints about students skipping breakfast in the morning, just to resist the urge to use the toilets in school”, he said at the Fuelling Education Transformation: Safe And Conducive Infrastructure event at Sekolah Sultan Alam Shah yesterday.
āOur toilets are always wet and students fear that they might dirty their clothes“, he explained, adding that the toilets remain wet throughout the day because of poor ventilation.
āWe want the focus to be on the design with better ventilation so that toilets are cleaner and donāt smell.”
āWe will take this approach seriously so that the whole school environment is very conducive for our students,ā he said.
Netizens have mixed reactions
Online, netizens are not convinced. They claim that the design of toilets is not the issue. It is a lack of maintenance, cleaning and toilet etiquettes that prevent toilets from staying clean.
Many also suggested that students be a part of the solution. They should be taught proper toilet etiquettes and could be more involved in the cleaning process.
“We need a chapter in our textbooks to teach kids toilet etiquettes.”
One netizen pointed out that “the mindset and culture of maintaining cleanliness and not damaging toilets” should be cultivated.
Perhaps the government should take into consideration Malaysians’ opinions before proceeding!
