Edward Tumwebaze was expelled from Kagarama Secondary School a few years ago for allegedly sneaking a phone into the school. 

"The phone rang in the presence of the disciplinary master. Three days later, a list of 10 students (me inclusive) was pinned on the notice board with the bad news that we had been expelled from school for different crimes,” he explains, adding that the decision was unfair.

But is expulsion the best punishment to help rehabilitate a student?

How public schools address indiscipline

According to Jean Nepal, the District Education commissioner of Rulindo, expulsion does not come easy. He says every government school has a disciplinary master who monitors student behaviour day-by-day.

"The disciplinary master works with student leaders and other teachers to meet his goal,” Nepal explains.

Jean Marie Vianney Dunia, the discipline master of ES Kianza, a secondary school in Rulindo district, says each school has a set of internal regulations to guide students on acceptable behavior.

"Although the discipline master is in charge of the daily discipline of the students, he has no authority to expel a student,” Dunia explains.

"The disciplinary committee which is usually composed of the head teacher, the chairman of the Parents and Teachers Association and the discipline master must call parents for a meeting to discuss an extreme case of indiscipline. It is in that meeting that the fate of the student is decided,” he adds.

Dunia insists that: "It is only through a set of internal regulations that punishments are subjected to the students.”

For example at ES Kianza, ideal behavior carries 14 points but each time a student commits an offence, some points are deducted. This means the more one commits crimes the fewer the points he gets.

"If one’s discipline points drop below 10, parents are called to discuss a possible way forward with the teachers, dean of students and disciplinary master,” Dunia adds. "After the meeting, pardoned students are monitored closely by a school patron for one month to facilitate evaluation and compliance.”

In case there is no change, Dunia says the case is referred to the Inspector Education officer for the final decision.

"It is at this stage that expulsion might be considered. But in public schools expulsion is usually recommended through change of schools,” he says.

Just like Dunia, Merc Hategekimana, the headmaster of G.S. Kabuga, admits that expulsion is hardly an option. He categorically states that no child is sent away from school for performing poorly in class.

"Punishments only apply to cases of indiscipline. When a child for instance comes late, he is warned. If it happens again, he may be asked to do some bit of cleaning or pick litter in the compound. If the habit persists, we ask him to bring his parent so that we get to the root of the problem and find a helpful solution,” Hategekimana says, adding that most cases are solved at that level.

He says if the child even after these interventions remains adamant, the education officer is consulted for his direction.

How private schools handle it

According to the disciplinary master of a private school in Kibagabaga who preferred anonymity, a slightly different approach is used to enforce discipline among students.

"At the beginning of every term, a student has 50 points for discipline. Each time one commits an offence, the points reduce,” he explains. "Crimes are graded as upper, middle or simple and the marks awarded will depend on the type of offence,” he adds.

He says students whose points drop to 25 and below are referred to the school board of directors for action.

However, if one has zero points, the only available option is expulsion, according to our source.

"For students caught in the act of fighting or bullying, the decision is likely to be a suspension of not less than 7 days,” he notes.

But some teachers say expelling a student is not as easy as it sounds.

A teacher in one of the top private schools in Kigali, who requested not to be named for fear of losing her job, says there’s always a clash between the teachers and school owners.

"Sometimes we are frustrated by the owner of the school because his intention is to maximize profit, not to shape the character of the students,” she says.

"There are times when we have recommended that a badly behaved child be expelled only to be overruled by the director. This, in the eyes of students, leaves the teachers looking completely powerless,” she adds.

Students, parents speak out on expulsion

Although teachers say one has to really stretch their patience before they can think of expelling them, many victims still complain of not being given justice.

Divine Umuhoza says she was expelled from Ikabare School in Rwamagana district in 2009 for escaping from school.

"I agree I did not get permission before leaving school but why did they make that decision without consulting my parent?,” Umuhoza asks, adding that the school administration always invited parents before making such a decision. She is convinced that if her parent was around her fate would have been different.

Stuart Tumukunde, while in senior five, was also expelled over possession of a gadget that was not allowed at

Kagarama Secondary in 2012. But he maintains the decision was unfair to him.

"First, a phone is a very small thing to warrant an expulsion. Secondly, I was not given a chance to explain myself,” he alleges. However, a source at the school dismisses those accusations as inaccurate.

Much as such punishments can be inconveniencing especially to parents and benefactors, a number of them believe students should not be handled with kid gloves lest you create a generation of untouchables.

Munir Ndekwe, a father of two, says: "By the time a school expels a student, it means that he has exceeded the limit. A rotten tomato must be separated from the good ones before they also get spoilt,” he explains.

Vallence Ndibwami, a teacher and parent, says he cannot take his child to a school that pampers students.

"When I don’t teach my students I’m warned and punished if I don’t change. No one will keep around for long if I’m misbehaving. Why should a child be begged to behave in an acceptable manner time and again?” Ndibwami asks.

However, Roseline Uwera, a mother of five, calls for more patience.

"Students should not be expelled from school. They should instead be given as much time as possible to improve through counseling.”

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What students think about expulsions

Brice Muvunyi

Expelling does not in any way help someone to change their behaviour. I believe constant counselling and guidance could be more helpful to the student. I have seen many of my friends completely dropping their bad ways after being talked to by fellow students.

Firdaus Mukarulinda

Why would trained teachers send a student home? Go home to do what? As education specialists, they should know how to handle all kinds of characters.

In case the child is impossible, the headmaster should invite the parent to school and together agree on the best solution for the child.

John Gakwaya

I don’t support expulsion of students in whatever circumstances. Fortunately most teachers are parents themselves so they should know how to deal with such cases. Chasing away a learner is not helping th child but rather condemning them.

Sebastian Kalambizi

Constant counselling is the best way to handle naughty students, not expelling them. Every stage in life has its challenges and they must be handled at that point. If students are not helped at that age then they might live with those bad habits forever.

Valence Muvala

Expulsion should be the last thing to do because it affects both the child and parents. I prefer that teachers advise the child first and only involve the parent later if the problem persists. Should the student remain indifferent to all the advice then they can be sent away.

Compiled by Pontian Kabeera

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How to deal with expulsion

Many people fail to realise how damaging it can be for a child to be expelled from school. It is the ultimate rejection; in their minds they are being told that they are so bad that the school will never want to see or look at them again. This can be very hard on the child, even if they pretend they don’t care.

1. Find out as much information as you can. Ask the school exactly what happened, who was involved, if other children were involved in the situation, if those children were also expelled, if not why not, have other methods of discipline been tried. The more information you can get the better.

2. Decide if you are going to appeal the decision. You always have the right to appeal, however, appeals are very rarely successful. Make sure you have a very solid reason why you think this is a miscarriage of justice before you appeal, otherwise the whole situation can become very upsetting

3. Before considering your next step try to identify the reasons why your child was expelled in the first place. Visit a doctor for a full health evaluation, often health problems or undiagnosed conditions can be to blame. If your child has been expelled for drug use get them into a rehabilitation programme. If they have been expelled for aggression, get them into an anger management programme. Undergoing this step will help your child to be re-accepted into another school and will reduce the likelihood of a further expulsion.

4. Decide whether your child should continue their education. If they are of compulsory school age they must continue, but if they are post compulsory school age they may prefer to look for a job.

5. If your child has not been expelled from all schools, look for another school. Look for a school that will work for your child. As a rule small schools often work better. Look for a school that has programmes or extra curricular activities or subjects that your child does well at or enjoys. This will help them to settle in. It is best to look for a school with good discipline, but read their policies carefully as some schools overly rely on expulsion to deal with the student problems while others don’t.

6. Consider enrolling your child in a private school. Even if your child is expelled from all public schools, a private school can still accept them. Most private schools won’t accept a child who has been expelled, so you will have to shop around to find one that will.

7. If your child has been expelled from all schools ask what alternatives are available. Your school will be the best people to approach.

8. Don’t panic if your child is expelled multiple times. It can take a while for a child who is expelled to find the right school. Expelled kids often have unique needs; keep at it until you find your magic answer.

10. Keep your child involved in lots of extra curricular activities while they are expelled. This ensures that they maintain stimulation, learning, routine and socialization, which will help them transition back into school more easily, and will keep them motivated and engaged in the period where they are not attending school.

Agencies