On June 21, 2024, the Ministry of Education and the Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference for Catholic Schools jointly established measures to safeguard and protect students’ health in schools.
These measures were established during a meeting that brought together representatives from various departments of the Ministry of Education, led by the Minister of Education, Hon. Gaspard Twagirayezu, and Catholic education representatives, led by Father Lambert Dusingizimana, Secretary of the Rwanda Episcopal Conference’s Office for Education.
The meeting was convened to address the increasing number of student deaths recently reported in schools, particularly those managed by the Catholic Church.
According to Kinyamateka, the newspaper of the Rwanda Episcopal Conference, participants discussed specific cases of student deaths in various locations, including a seminarian at the Minor Seminary of Zaza, a seminarian at Rwesero, and a student at Lycée Notre Dame de Citeaux.
Several factors contributing to inadequate responses to student illnesses were highlighted.
These included insufficient attention to student behavior, lack of adequate knowledge among infirmary staff and disciplinarians, and a limited number of staff, which hampers their ability to address students’ concerns. Additionally, there is a cultural tendency to seek support only when issues become critical.
Other issues endangering students’ health included the use of physical punishments and allowing students to discipline their peers, practices intended to improve discipline but potentially putting students at risk.
The meeting also noted that some parents fail to provide accurate health information about their children, further contributing to health risks.
Following extensive discussions, the Ministry of Education and the Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference for Education agreed on the following measures:
- Schools must inform parents immediately when a student falls ill.
- Ill students must be taken to a health facility and accompanied.
- Teachers are required to cease using physical punishments and any form of torture.
- Schools must improve the management of student leaders, ensuring they do not overstep their authority.
- Implementation of a health information form for students.
- Ensuring that no sick student is neglected.
- Disseminating health protection measures to all schools and establishing a team to monitor student health information.
Additionally, some suggest that school infirmaries need to be strengthened to ensure that students facing health issues can receive immediate assistance at school before being taken to a health facility.