By THANDIWE MOYO in Kasama –
THE Ministry of Education in Kasama has said absenteeism of girls in schools due to lack of sanitary towels was a major hindrance to development.
Senior education officer in the education department in Kasama Justina Bwembya said it was important for the Government to find lasting solutions to sanitary towel challenges.
Ms Bwembya said many schools in urban and rural areas had a lower attendance of female pupils due to a lack of convenient clothing during their menstrual periods.
She said instead of providing sanitary towels once a term, Government should implement provision of washable sanitary towels that could last for years.
Ms Bwembya said providing sanitary towels once a term by the Government was not helpful as girls needed the towels every month.
She said the provision of sanitary towels in schools was a good initiative but that the development was not a lasting one.
Ms Bwembya said to ensure maintenance of hygiene among the girls the Government should provide washable sanitary towels, especially among irls in rural areas.
She said sanitary towels were a need in the lifecycle of girls and that providing a lasting solution towards such a challenge could help improve education standards for girls.
Ms Bwembya said lack of sufficient sanitary towels among girls created worry and lack of concentration in girls.
She further said up to now the sanitary towels which were supposed to be received last month had not arrived in Kasama District.
“We hear the sanitary towels were distributed but up to now we have not received in Kasama District,” Ms Bwembya said.
She said many girls in rural areas were happy with the initiative but wondered why they had not received any sanitary towels.
Ms Bwembya urged the Ministry of Gender to ensure all districts received sanitary towels, especially districts that had a high number of schools in rural areas.