The body of a 10-year-old class two pupil identified as Stephen Awad was found dead in a dormitory at Covenant Christian Kindergarten Nursery and Primary School in Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State on Wednesday.
According to Nelson Mandela, the school’s headteacher, the deceased pupil had earlier reported to his elder brother that he had blood in his stool but that the cause of the death remains unclear and the body was rushed to Magwi Primary Health Care Unit for further examination.
“I received a call today (Wednesday) at around 4 a.m. that a child named Stephen Awad had died. We were not informed of his sickness but later heard that he defecates with blood,” he said. “We called government officials to come and witness what happened in the school and we are currently at the health center where the dead body will be examined to find out the cause of his death.”
Colonel Paulino Lokete Iyaha, the inspector of police in Magwi County, confirmed the death and blamed the school administration for failing to monitor and follow up sick children.
“This child had been sick with diarrhea and I ask why they did not report to the school administration which would have referred him to the health facility. The brother of the deceased was still sleeping because it was always the late who woke him up. On Wednesday, when he woke up, he realized that his brother had died,” he said. “The deceased will be taken by his family members to Juba for burial. Everybody should report any sick cases so that they are taken to the health facility for medication.”
Amal Jane, a civil society activist in Eastern Equatoria State, asked authorities to hold the school’s administration accountable for the death of the pupil.
“It is the role of the matron of the dormitory to monitor school children. Children have to be checked from bed to bed. The school should take the full responsibility,” she said. “If this child was sick, the school administration should have been the first to detect it so it means there was a mistake and the school should take responsibility. Every school should employ at least two matrons. One of the schools in Magwi is also overcrowded.”