The toilets at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Politics (FCSP) at the National University of Timor-Leste (UNTL) are not fit for students to use for their basic needs.
A student from the Department of International Relations at FCSP, with the initials SX, said that she is very concerned about the condition of the toilets, and that they are not fit for student use. She said that for the past two years, her colleagues and her have continued to face the same problem.
“The condition of the toilets is not a recent problem. For the past two years, students have always been concerned about this issue. The FCSP toilets are not only damaged, but they are also not suitable for use because there is no proper maintenance,” she said.
The Dean of FCSP, Alarico da Costa Ximenes, said that the toilet problem exists because the building infrastructure currently being used was not properly designed to respond to the needs of students.
“The plan that we have already submitted is the construction of a new building for FCSP, including toilets with better standards. When we received a visit from the Pro-Rector for Infrastructure Affairs, we raised these problems and presented the need to improve the facilities,” he said.
He further added that, if there are no changes to the proposed plan, construction of the new building will be implemented in 2027 and that until then, the students must continue to use the current facilities as they are.
“The Rector has also promised that once the contract is approved and implementation begins, the university will resolve this toilet problem. However, we still cannot guarantee it because it depends on budget availability and the implementation process,” he said.
Meanwhile, UNTL’s Pro-Rector for Development and Infrastructure Affairs, Alfredo Ferreira, said that the proposal to construct a new building for FCSP has not yet become an immediate priority for the university.“To carry out new construction requires planning and a substantial budget. At present, we have received a request from the President of the FCSP Student Academic Association (AAE) regarding the problems faced by students, including the toilets, that are in a poor condition. We will analyse the matter and consider the possibility of responding to the urgent needs raised by the students,” he said.
