Schools administering medication a thorny issue
Several parents recently contacted Review to find out what the guidelines and facts are relating to schools administering medication to their children.
POLOKWANE – According to the Department of Education, it is a violation of the South African Schools Act to give any medication to learners at school.
According to Dr Naledzani Rasila, giving learners medication at school does not only pose a risk to their health, it is also a gross violation of the Act.
“If we receive complaints or reports about learners receiving medication at school, we will launch an investigation into the matter immediately. The department will not overlook such a violation of the Act.”
Review contacted several schools in the city who confirmed that the administration of medication at the schools are totally unacceptable.
Although it can be difficult if a learner is suffering from a stomach ache or headache, the administration of medication is prohibited. It could be the case that the learner might be allergic to one or more of the ingredients in the medication which can have devastating results and that is why we do not give the learners any medication, one of the Public Representative Officers (PRO) at a school in the city confirmed.
The PRO added that in such a case the school can be held responsible for the results.
