For a child in a rural Ugandan primary school, missing lessons may begin with something as ordinary as dirty hands, unsafe sanitation or an illness that could have been prevented. Yet, when that child fails to report to school, the absence may simply be recorded without establishing whether poor hygiene, sickness or another challenge is responsible.
This gap between children's health and classroom attendance is emerging as a critical concern in Uganda's education system, where preventable illnesses threaten learning outcomes, particularly among children from households struggling to afford basic hygiene necessities.