School toilets in Bremen: The need for renovation causes students to despair!

School toilets in Bremen: The need for renovation causes students to despair!

Things look bleak in Bremen when it comes to the cleanliness and condition of school toilets. A recent study has shown that one in eight toilets is in need of renovation. This is a warning sign that cannot be ignored. In a survey by Radio Bremen, students rated the condition of their school toilets with an average grade of 4.7, which corresponds to a straight five plus. Over 2,200 participants, mainly students as well as teachers and parents, expressed their concerns about the unhygienic conditions, as Weser Kurier reports.

The “Cleaning Guidelines of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen” stipulate that sanitary facilities should be cleaned daily. But in practice this doesn't always seem to work. Vandalism and a lack of equipment such as a lack of hand dryers and menstrual products exacerbate the problem. A third of those surveyed are concerned about acts of vandalism by classmates. After all, Immobilien Bremen (IB) is responsible for cleaning and maintaining the toilets, while Education Senator Sascha Aulepp (SPD) praises the well-functioning organization of building cleaning.

Investments and renovation needs

While schools are yearning for a breath of fresh air in sanitation facilities, the estimated total cost to renovate all toilets, including those in moderate condition, is a whopping €70.2 million. However, so far there is no specific renovation budget for school toilets. Around 49 million euros go into general maintenance and renovation costs for school buildings every year, but only six schools are now benefiting from ongoing renovation work. These measures are usually carried out during the holidays so as not to disrupt school operations.

The problems are manifold: Many of the sanitary facilities date back to the 1960s and this means that students often prefer to use the toilet at home rather than put up with the unhygienic conditions at school. Parents of students at a primary school in Schwachhausen even collected 16,000 euros through a sponsorship run to repair the toilets in their school themselves, according to the Bremen Central Parents' Council (ZEB).

Outlook for the future

The education authority has already signaled that it will support modern and hygienic toilets in schools. While the color of the walls and the explosiveness of the topic are discussed in numerous advisory board meetings, the hope remains that the need for renovation will receive more attention and, above all, financial resources in the future. It would be desirable for children's quality of life in their everyday school life to no longer be impaired by dirty and outdated toilets.

Discussions about the cleaning guidelines are ongoing, and the FDP has already made requests for revision. Education Senator Aulepp remains optimistic. One can only hope that comprehensive measures will soon follow that will help students learn where they feel comfortable - including on the toilet.