Nkeyema District Commissioner Elis Mukubesa says 85 per cent of girls have dropped out of school due to the non-availability of sanitary materials to use during their menstruation cycles.
Mr Mukubensa says abscond classes as they are uncomfortable to attend classes for fear of being bullied by their male counterparts the reason for them to have the required sanitary pads.
The District Commissioner was speaking today when he officiated at this year’s commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Management day held at Munkuye Secondary School in Nkeyema Town ,under the theme,’ Making Menstruation a Normal Factor of life by 2030′.
“ It is unacceptable for women and girls are prevented to get on with their education because of a natural and biological occurrence.
“ As long as there no right products, and information on sanitary facilities, the pupils will continue missing school, as a result deprive them of education, not forgetting health risks, “ he said.
Mr Mukubensa, however was happy that WaterAid Zambia in partnership with government and other stakeholders have provided free sanitation facilities and distribution of reusable sanitary pads in schools which he observed has encouraged more pupils to return to school.’
And WaterAid Zambia Hygiene Specialist Bwalya Sichinga says her organisation’s commitment in supporting menstrual hygiene management in schools to ensure a healthy and productive populace.
Mrs Sichinga stated that the commemoration was important to Water Aid as it takes menstrual hygiene in school important because it wants to make menstruation a normal factor for every child by 2030 so that they do not miss classes.
And Nkeyema District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Florence Hikaumba commended Water Aid Zambia for coming on board to help a girl child in the management of menstrual hygiene in school.
Mrs Hikaumba observed that girls were absconding classes during their menstrual cycle because of not having sanitary pads to use at school.
“Most girls used to get booed by their friends at school when they mess themselves but water Aid Zambia came in brought sanitary facilities in schools for girls to wash themselves and also provides sanitary pads and pants to the girls during their menstrual cycle, ” Mrs Hikaumba said.
One the beneficiaries Faith Chanda, a grade 11 pupil, narrated her personal experience on how she almost dropped out of school because of not having materials to use during her Menstrual cycle.
Chanda said the distribution of free pads and sanitation facilities by WaterAid motivated her to attend class even when she was having her menses.
WaterAid Zambia is a European Union funded Non- Governmental organization that has come on board to supplement government efforts in the provision of proper sanitation facilities and water reticulation system in selected schools of Western Province.
The organization has pumped in colossal amount of money in six schools of Nkeyema District.
By the end of the three year project 10 schools in the Town will have piped water and water borne toilets that will have a direct benefit on a girl child that has started her Menstruation.
So far two Towns namely Nkeyema and Mwandi will benefit from the project.
Give free lunch and tampons from primary school. to encourage education. If there’s anything to copy from the West its the provision of free snacks at schools
Such never happened during pf rule. We ensured our girls were looked after.
Indeed Stup!d KZ, instead during the PF era the number of under age pregnancies was the highest in sub saharan africa!
As a pupil I never noticed this… maybe it’s because there wasn’t any talk about it.