Saudi Gazette The Ministry of Education has announced that all schools in Kingdom should have a permanent nurse or a health counselor in their premises. This will not only help in safeguarding the children at school, but will also provide employment to a large number of graduates from the colleges of health sciences and applied medical sciences. Turki Al-Otaibi holds a nursing degree, he told Al-Watan daily, “The health of the student is one of the main concerns of the Ministry of Education. Schools should care for the students' education, behavior, conduct, social relationships, and health. Every school is in need of a nurse or health professional to provide health care services to students, implement awareness and preventive programs, and give first-aid treatment in the case of emergencies or injuries.” “We have been rotating from the Ministry of Commerce to the Ministry of Civil Services to the Ministry of Health, demanding jobs, but not enough positions have opened up. Since there are 13,000 boys' schools alone in the Kingdom, employing a school nurse will successfully accommodate a major portion of the graduates of health sciences and compensate for the lack of stable jobs we have been facing,” said Ayid Al-Qahtani, a health science graduate. Another graduate of health science in Abha, Muhmmad Al-Buqmi said,“Ever since King Abdullah has declared the project of development that is to be implemented in all schools, many improvements have been seen in the education system. Schools are making positive changes in the right direction to create environments that foster learning, to enhance students' skills, and to promote better health as well. Good health and heightened awareness on a wide range of health issues will no doubt boost the student's academic performance and interest in education. Health services are seriously needed by the half a million teachers and the five million students in the Kingdom's schools. A permanent school answer will be a well qualified provider of these health services.” Hussein Aal-Buhair is also a medical graduate and he said that the Sultanate of Oman has already employed a nurse in every school in the country a couple years ago and we can benefit from their experience. According to Aal-Buhair, the school nurse provides first-aid, treats ill students, organizes health awareness campaigns, and educates the students on exercises and adequate nutrition. __
