My Toilet Dream to Innocent Kids of Trong ECCD

Carrying a SATO pan on my back, it took me around four minutes by walk to reach Trong ECCD Centre which is located a few footsteps below the Majestic Zhemgang Dzong. 

I quickly exchanged a few words of greetings with teachers there. Like lovely kids, perhaps, they all seemed so happy, and promising.

Before heading straight into my "toilet talk", I took a moment, showed them the Blue SATO Pan that was in my hand. Interestingly, I got all sorts of answers. Uncle! "I got white Toilet, I got a big Toilet, and I got a small Toilet". Which means, they at least have some sense of toilets. It seems some of them are really using their toilets in good manners. However, it seems some of them are yet to be in the line. Above all, most of them were absolutely energetic, talkative and lively. I wish older versions of our school children would be like them. lovely. cute. I have silently wished them to remain all the same and lovely. 

The next question was; Which toilet do you all like –Clean or Dirty? "Uncleeee,…I like a clean toilet, '' the boy from the corner shouted on top of his voice without any hesitation. Impressive! "I thanked him with my hand clap."  

In the next ten minutes, I have shared some basics of toilets –usages, benefits and downsides.

I made a very simple narration to make my talk simple, effective, and understandable. "I wish so…,,,because it takes both sides to build a bridge."

"Dirty toilets can bring lots of diseases like diarrhea, and dysentery. If you fall sick, you can't meet your friends, and you can’t go to school. No friends, Unhappy, No school, No education, No good education, No money, and no wife. No money, and no wife, unhappy and sad". 

Do you still prefer dirty toilets at home, and at school? No sir,…!!! uncle!,,uncleeee,,,!!!,,,No madammmm,,,,no sir,,,,!

I also reminded them about the importance of hand washing before and after visiting toilets, and before and after eating anything. And they widely accepted my request. I hope for the best from these lovely kids. They are our Jewels, and the Jewels of the nation too. 

However, surprisingly, toilet education is not part of our formal curriculum in our schools. No one so far had any records of learning toilet lessons as part of the curriculum. 

One thing we lack in our education system is the very basic, and fundamental parts of everyday living; I strongly feel our curriculum should have contents like survival, cooking and social skills. It must come as part of formal curriculum, otherwise, our children won't trust teachers and few value classes. Value education class is not enough to learn all these fundamentals of life and living.

Had it been that way, toilet problems shouldn't be that mess and hiccup in schools and social gatherings. 

Although, it was a very brief meeting this group of absolutely innocent minds. But it was thoroughly engaging, and worth spending my time with them. I promised them some sweets next time to tell more about My Toilet Dream. 

Thank You!

Also,,, I sincerely thank all the teachers for making them laugh each day, for promoting good values, and Bhutanese culture, and accepting me to give such unusual talk on TOILETs. 

I have quickly reminded them of the quote of Helen Keller, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."