Sick room or sanitorium

The educators were questioned about the availability of sick rooms or sanatoriums for menstruation-related ailments. The majority of schools in the current study did not have sick rooms available for learners or had non-functional sick rooms. One high school principal in this study explained that the school previously had a sanitorium, but the girls had misused it and were “using it as a bunking space”. After many warnings, the school decided to close the sanitorium. According to the principal, when a girl was not feeling well, the teacher called the parents to fetch her. I observed that the girls would wait in the foyer of the school for their parents. MacRea’s (2019: 18) research in India revealed that girls often experience menstrual

111 pain and discomfort which affects their movement ability. These girls reported that they were unable to manage their pain effectively, resulting in negative emotions. See Appendix 8.

One of the high schools in this study had no sick room and only a stretcher in the staff room was available. The principal of this school suggested that a sick room would be an asset to the school, but the issue would be to find a suitable space at the school. She further explained that

“the clinic is around the corner and we work closely with them. Our learners go there (clinic) when it is serious. Either in the mornings or afternoons. The stretcher is very handy (and) it has made a huge difference. A sick room will be (a) good idea if there (is) somebody that can watch over it.” It appears that the principal had a contingency plan in place to deal with the absence of a sick room. However, the stretcher did not provide any comfort and privacy for the learner because it was situated in the staff room. Additionally, the menstruating girl, attending the local clinic for minor ailments, would lose time during the school day. Absenteeism from school for a short period could impact negatively on girls’ education. See Appendix 6.

A few schools had no functional sick rooms and designated sick rooms were used for other purposes. At one high school, the sick room was used for administration purposes, while the toilet was used as a storeroom for redundant office furniture. I observed that a storeroom was converted into a learner support office and was also used as a sick room for learners, but it had no privacy, toilet or handbasin facilities - only a bed was available. One Life Orientation teacher agreed that a sick room was necessary and if there was a sick room available, “they (the girls) can get the sanitary pads from there”. This would also allow the girls to wash themselves in privacy with the onset of their period and to “get a referral letter to go to the clinic”. Another teacher from this school disagreed and said that the “…sick room will not really assist. You can only ask them to lie or sit down and rest until the pain goes away. Unless we have a registered nurse at (the) school, a sick room can be utilised.” The lack of human resources, finance and facilities at the school impacted on the menstrual hygiene management of girls and their needs. See Appendix 7.

During my visit to one of the primary schools, I observed that the sick room had no ventilation, and only had one bed and six hand basins available. Unfortunately, the sick room was not functional and the learners were referred to the local clinic if they were experiencing pain. The principal of this school expressed that “(a sick room) will be nice, then the learners do not need to walk to the clinic or be absent from the school. It will result in less teaching time going to

112 waste by going to the clinic. A functional sick bay and a proper person to monitor it, would impact positively on the education of the learners.'' Seydou et al. (2020: 291) discuss the link of absenteeism due to dysmenorrhea of schoolgirls in the Niger area. Their reasons for the absenteeism were because the school had no sick room where the girls could rest and no pain medication was available. Yaliwal et al. (2020: 2) also report that minor ailments are common during menstruation. Abdominal cramps or pain, lack of concentration and nausea are general complaints. See Appendix 5.

One of the primary schools in this study had a sick room but it was not properly functional because the room was shared with a Learner Support Officer. This primary school’s principal said that “the room is also used by the Learner Support Officer. I do not know what we would need in the sick bay to assist menstruating girls. We contact the parents and while the child waits for the parents, they can lie on the bed in the sick bay.” I observed that the room had filing cabinets, cleaning equipment and the bed was occupied with other things. It appeared that the sick room was not being used for its intended purpose. A menstruating girl using the

‘sick room’ would have no privacy when lying on the bed. This school principal, and others in my study, need guidelines or a workshop on how to make a sick room functional without impacting on the menstruating girls’ or other learners’ education. See Appendix 5.

The information gleaned in this study regarding the lack of support in the majority of schools shows that girls are more vulnerable than boys and their psychological needs are not being met.

Sick rooms are usually provided as a place for counselling or conservative treatments such as the provision of a hot water bottle and a place to rest until the parents can fetch their daughters.

Schooler et al. (2005) provide information on candidates from a Midwestern University in the United States of America. This research involved menstrual shame, body shame, and how it relates to sexual decision-making. Body shame involves both a negative evaluation of one’s body as well as an emotional component. According to Blumer’s symbolic interactionist interpretation, body shame is shaped through interaction with others and this gives meaning to the girls’ experiences and vulnerability during menstruation, because of the secrecy surrounding menstruation and the boys’ responses to girls when they are menstruating.

Therefore, shame is intensified when there are inadequate facilities available at school for the sudden onset of menstruation.

113 One of the schools in this study had a functional sanatorium on the school premises. The Life Orientation teacher at this school noted that they “do have (their) own health facility, which provides and dispenses medicine. We (also) have a doctor daily (and) have two nursing sisters…”. Another Life Orientation teacher from this school reported that “there is a counselling psychologist available to talk to”. The school is fortunate to have resources that assist all learners at the school, including menstruating schoolgirls. The doctor and nursing sisters were available for 24 hours a day to monitor the learners because it is also a boarding school. The boys and girls could continue their education without interruption except when the condition of the learner was serious. The support system for psychological and psycho-social needs of the menstruating girl was in place at this school. See Appendix 9.