Prolonged exposure to air pollution has been linked to adverse health outcomes, including increased respiratory symptoms, augmented medication use in children with asthma, decreased lung function, among others, yet globally, students are exposed to high levels of damaging ‘urban’ air pollution. In particular, reports indicate that some of the common ways through which schoolchildren are exposed to air pollution is through gatherings, and also during sports activities. On the flip side, a study released this year on Clean Air Day 2020, revealed that maintaining air pollution levels in and around school grounds by 20 per cent could enhance the development of a child’s working memory by 6.1 per cent, the equivalent of four weeks extra learning time per year. Against this background, Dr Egide Kalisa, an air quality specialist, last week, embarked on a journey to educate, and equip primary students with skills to protect themselves from toxic air. His initiative seeks to characterise the indoor and outdoor air quality in Rwandan schools and its variability, especially the parameters that are most influenced by traffic emissions. Consequently, students are equipped with air quality monitors that help to track airborne chemicals, temperature, mild growth, and humidity. The device alerts the user if action is necessary to clean the air, and uses a colour-coded system based on air quality levels. Normally, green is considered healthy, yellow is a warning, and red is classified as a danger. According to Kalisa, majority of the schools in Rwanda are located within 100 to 200 metres of a major road or even close to residential biomass burning facilities. “Allowing children to use air quality monitors is a great opportunity to equip primary school pupils hands-on with scientific tools,” he says. He adds, “Their participation in the air quality measurement will inspire them to think about ways in which they could influence other people’s behaviour, such as proposing anti-idling campaigns at their school, among others.” Under his initiative, Kalisa is of the view that the number of schoolchildren exposed to air pollution is expected to decrease and that it will also have a long-lasting effect on the students’ mental and physical development. “Besides the devices, students have also been challenged to create posters and banners to encourage drivers on the significance of safe driving.” Other activities include engaging students in debates that surround the topic of air quality. Kalisa says, “Every school child has the right to breathe clean air and to study from a conducive environment. Children are highly susceptible to air pollution health impacts due to their high breathing rates, developing lung structures, and immune systems.” To ensure this, he highlights that schools, especially those that accommodate primary pupils, need to establish key facilities such as school entrances, and playgrounds farther away from busy roads, industries, and other air pollution sources. “Like it is done globally, they should also initiate zones to reduce emissions from the school, especially at drop-off and pickup areas. Schools could also add green infrastructure like ‘barrier plants’ along busy roads and in playgrounds to help filter smoke and reduce traffic noise,” Kalisa says.
