Education Minister Sorin Kimpeanu says toilets used by students at school can be “compatible” even if they are outside the building, citing the example of toilets located at festivals or on the beach, which he says are “compatible”. Kimpeanu again stated that the problem of toilets in schools is “exaggerated”. “We finance, the Ministry of Education cannot conclude a contract for a toilet, the City Hall concludes a contract,” he claims.

“Let’s take the full statement: this is what I said – and I insist on my point – the problem of inadequate sanitation teams in schools is an important problem. It must be resolved and it will be resolved. Those were the exact words. On the other hand, this is an exaggerated problem, because we often associate digitalization and the quality of education with the toilet. The toilet, even if it is in the yard, it can be compliant. We’ve all been to festivals, we’ve all gone to the beach and there are proper toilets that the building doesn’t have. I am not defending the local government. At the top of the mountain is a school with four students who should have access to education, at the top of the mountain neither Switzerland, nor the United States, nor Japan invented the sewage network. At the top of the mountain there are schools with four children, it is difficult to decide there, there the toilet must meet the requirements, but outside the school,” Sorin told Kimpeanu on Thursday evening on Digi 24, according to News .ro.

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He added that currently 306 schools nationwide do not have an “adequate” toilet, of which 126 have funding and must use this funding by the end of the year. There are few children in other schools, the minister said.

“Unfortunately, the Ministry of Education does not subordinate local authorities. We gave a budget. Progress has been achieved – from 2,219 (schools without toilets, four years ago – none) to 306. In four years, 1,900 schools have solved the problem. There are 300 left. But the Ministry of Education alone cannot solve them. We finance, the Ministry of Education cannot conclude a contract for a toilet, the City Hall concludes a contract. So together with city halls and the Ministry of Development. (…) Why don’t you invite one of the 306 mayors? Why don’t you invite them to the studio? You have the same authority over them as the Ministry of Education,” the minister also told the producer of the TV show.

Answering the question about what the prime minister gave him in this regard, the minister explained that the head of the government “asked for a plan according to which there will no longer be any schools with inadequate toilets.”

“He asked for it before the end of the year and I told him we can submit this plan in a few weeks,” added Kimpeanu.

Sorin Ciempeanu clarified that “the Ministry of Education cannot solve the problem of poverty in Romania”, but it aims to reduce school dropouts through education.

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