An 11-year-old girl narrowly escaped a “nasty accident” when she could not find a teacher to unlock toilets.

A dad says it's "absolutely wrong" that his daughter's school locks the toilets to pupils and they have to ask a teacher for the key.

His daughter, a Year 7 pupil from Invercargill's Aurora College, ran around the school desperately searching for a teacher to unlock the toilets, but the only one she found did not have a key, the dad said.

The 11-year-old girl eventually found a teacher to unlock the toilets, but was at risk of a "nasty accident".

"To have all the toilets locked and having to ask for a key is absolutely wrong, how dare the school impose such a breach of human rights on our kids," he said.

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"We all know that sometimes kids just can't hold on and need to go when they need to go. This is so wrong."

JOHN HAWKINS/STUFF The school claims the toilets are locked to prevent them being mistreated.

Aurora College principal Robyn Hickman said locking of the toilets was a necessary procedure to prevent toilets being mistreated so they remained in a fit state. The school stood by the practice.

"It is implemented if there has been a spate of vandalism, graffiti, or use of the toilets as a smoking area and is designed to remind students to treat the toilets responsibly," Hickman said.

The practice is adopted across the whole school, which educates pupils from year 7 to 13, except for toilets situated in student services in the administration block.

KEVIN STENT/STUFF A Southland parent believes toilets at Aurora College should be patrolled rather than locked.

"All teachers have keys to toilets in classroom blocks and access is usually easily provided to students," said Hickman.

"This is the first time we have been made aware of it being difficult for a student to gain access. We regret a student finding herself in this situation."

Katrina Casey from the Ministry of Education said there was not a specific policy on locking toilets, but schools are asked to follow a national guideline. The guidelines say "toilets are to be available for use during the school's opening hours and when spaces are used for specific purposes".

KAVINDA HERATH/STUFF Aurora College principal Robyn Hickman says the decision to lock toilets was not discussed with the Ministry of Education.

She said the Ministry heard from the father about the incident at Aurora College. In a statement Casey said: "We have spoken with the school and confirmed with them that they are following up on this complaint. We are confident the school can resolve this promptly."

However, the father claimed he had still not had any response from the Ministry or Aurora College after his email complaint on Friday.

"I've heard nothing back from either of them," he said. "I'm aware they think because the toilets could be mis-used for smoking, but to me that does not justify them locking toilets."

The Human Rights Commission said it was a matter for the Ministry as it only handles complaints alleging unlawful discrimination or harassment, sexual and racial, which fit the criteria defined in the Human Rights Act 1993.

Last year, students from an English high school in North Yorkshire protested their school's policy which limited students to two toilets breaks per day.