On Monday, April 20, most schools in the country officially opened for second term. A number of students carried heavy suitcases containing new books, pens and clothes among other things to ensure their comfort at school. Before being allowed into the school, teachers thoroughly checked students’ suitcases for unwanted material such as radios, phones, alcohol and drugs among others. However the Education Times, which had set camp in various schools, was more interested in finding out if schools are equally concerned about the health of their learners.

Samuel Nkurunziza, the headmaster of Kagarama Secondary School, says they always encourage parents to first take their children for medical checkup before bringing them to school but very few oblige. 

"However health insurance is mandatory, it is a school policy. Every student must report to school with insurance so that when they get sick they are taken to the clinic with ease,” Nkurunziza says.

He urges parents to cooperate with the school authorities as regards to health certificates for better monitoring of learners with complications such as epilepsy and asthma.

"Medical check-up certificates enable us to know which student deserves extra attention. That way we can monitor the student closely and how fellow students behave towards him and help if necessary,” he explains.

Repercussions of silence

Derrick Ngenzi narrates the grave consequences of not declaring a child’s health status.

"I lost my best friend to asthma because no one had an idea about his condition. One day as we were sleeping in the middle of the night, Munyaneza got a breathing problem,” Ngenzi explains, adding that everyone was terrified.

"We quickly called our matron and he realized it was an asthma attack and quickly organized means to rush him to hospital. Unfortunately he breathed his last before reaching the hospital,” he adds.

According to medical officials and teachers, had Munyaneza’s parents provided the school with his health report, the situation could have been different. However in this case, the asthmatic student was entirely on his own as the school authorities didn’t know about his condition.

Felicita Kamariza, an asthmatic student in Eastern Province, says she was usually ‘mistreated’ by their school matron just because she had kept her condition to herself.

"My health condition does not allow me to be in the cold so I always tried to dodge morning prep. But because I had no medical certificate to prove it, the matron never allowed me to stay in bed. Continuous exposure to cold weather worsened my condition which eventually saw me miss the whole term,” Kamariza explains. 

Despite missing class for over two months, Kamariza was at least glad she was still alive. And as they say, experience is the best teacher.

"When I recovered, I told my parents to take me to the doctor for a thorough medical examination. I presented my certificate to the school authorities and life has since then changed,” she says. "Teachers monitor me closely and don’t give me work that can affect my health.” 

Kamariza advises her fellow students to be in charge of their health and encourage their parents and guardians to take them to hospitals for a general medical checkup before going back to school.

Checkup most reliable

In some cases, parents have blamed their children’s unending sickness on the school. Yet experience shows that it is not always the case.

 "My children used to fall sick at school every term and I always blamed it on poor hygiene and nutrition. I reached a point where I could no longer tolerate it and changed school. But even in their new school, my children continued to be sickly,” Josephine Murungi, a parent, says.

It was at this point that Murungi opted for a thorough medical checkup of her two teenage children.

"I was surprised when the doctor handed me their medical report. Both my children had allergies and other serious illnesses that needed regular medical attention,” Murungi notes.

It is against that  background that she advises every parent to ensure that their children undergo medical examination before they return to school.

 "Children in most cases go back to school with infections they acquired during holidays at home and yet blame will always be apportioned to the school,” she says.

Vedaste Nshimiyimana, a parent residing in Kayonza District in Eastern Province, says medical checkup has been the key to his children’s good health.

"Because it is mandatory to provide the school with our children’s medical certificates, the school nurse is able to monitor their conditions on a regular basis. I believe this is the reason my children no longer fall sick as much as before,” Nshimiyimana explains.

Medics advise

Doctors warn the public against basing on one’s physical stature to conclude whether they are healthy or sick. Dr Eric Rutaganda from Rwanda Military Hospital warns that someone can look healthy and yet they are moving with a cocktail of diseases that need urgent treatment.

"Regular checkups and immunization helps to ensure a person’s normal development, healthy growth, and protection from preventable diseases” he says.

Dr Rutaganda explains that prevention and early detection of potential health problems is the best way to manage most diseases.

"Parents must ensure that any medication the child takes while at school has appropriate medical paperwork. They should also inform the schools about their children’s medical status or other health issues that need extra attention or regular follow up,” he adds.

  But Vidette Kamali, a nurse at Riviera High School, gives a broader view of the issue.

"Parents must know that medical checkups are the best way to boost their children’s performance. If you are sickly you cannot be consistent in class which affects your results,” says Kamali.

Schools speak out

According to Pamella Connell, the deputy principal Riviera High School, as a policy, the school demands that every girl submits a pregnancy test certificate every term.

This way, Pamela says, pregnancies are reduced in school.

A teacher in Kigali who preferred anonymity argues that if for instance a student is on HIV/AIDS medication, they may find it difficult to take their drugs on time.

"If the teacher is aware of your child’s problem they will be supportive in all ways possible. For instance the teacher will give him permission to go and take medicine, seek specialized medical treatment and offer them privacy to avoid stigma from fellow students.”

Your views

Samuel Nkurunziza, headmaster Kagarama S.S 

The best way to monitor students is by knowing their health status. This is only possible if schools insist on signed medical reports. When a child is sickly, their performance is likely to decline.

Charlote Nyinawumwami, student

Medical checkup should be taken seriously because it is for our own good as students. I believe students should take the lead on this by asking their parents to facilitate them to have a medical examination. How else can one know that they have conditions like asthma or convulsions?

Eric Ntaganda, a doctor

Medical checkup helps curb infectious diseases that can be transmitted in the course of interaction with fellow students. Early detection means early treatment which saves others from infection.

Francoise Mukansanga, a parent

I used to take my child’s general medical checkup for granted because he always looked healthy. However while at my child’s school  recently, we were taught the significance of knowing your child’s medical status. I now appreciate it.

Jean Paul Ngendahimana

Schools should put policies in place that make it mandatory for every learner to present a medical certificate to the school before they can be let in. This will make parents treat their children’s health with urgency and also help teachers to monitor their health.

Patrick Muhizi, a student

Medical checkup should be both the student and parent’s priority. When teachers know our challenges, they know how to help us. It is also a good way to avoid girls who report back to school when they are pregnant.