Students and their families have staged a sit-in outside the Northern Educational Directorate to demand a resolution to a foul situation at four schools in the area that have been inundated with standing sewage and ground water.
“It’s not in the classrooms,” said Ahmed Refaie, director of the Northern Educational Directorate. “But it is in the playground and around the walls of the schools.”
On top of the bad smell in the area, the sewage has attracted creatures, such as mosquitoes, bugs, and dogs which could bring diseases to the students who must traverse the effluent daily.
“This has been the situation for the past four years,” said Refaie. “The head of the district visited the governor and the minister of education, but nothing was done, that is why the students protested.”
The affected schools are Shaimaa Elementary, Sadat Technical Girls School, Hoda Shaarawy Preparatory Girls School, and Khalifa Mamoun School.
Now the Governor of Suez, Samir Badr Brigade Ajlan, and the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Ghoneim, are responding. In hearing a session on Sunday, “The Governor decided to hire a company to establish a new sewage line, funded by the governorate so there are sufficient funds. There will also be regular maintenance of the facilities.” said Refaie.