Girls to get sanitary pads in January

Poor primary and secondary schools will start receiving free sanitary pads in January and not this term as announced earlier.

This is because the Ministry of Education is looking for more money to increase the number of beneficiaries.

Education Permanent Secretary James ole Kiyiapi said the initial allocation of Sh300 million would only cater for 500,000 girls, yet the ministry targeted a million students.

Prof Kiyiapi said the ministry had approached development partners to top up the kitty. (READ: Plan to give sanitary towels to schoolgirls gets backing)

“We have decided to officially roll out the programme in January to allow adequate time to bring on board more girls,” he said.

He said donors were willing to support the project, singling out the United States Agency for International Development, USAID.

Prof Kiyiapi said they had identified regions to start the programme, adding that it will target Standard Seven and Eight pupils first.

“Initially, we are choosing to focus on the primary schools from areas most affected by poverty,” he said.

Those from other levels and regions will then be considered in a subsequent expansion of the programme.

Prof Kiyiapi said the ministry was preparing to advertise tenders inviting firms to bid for contracts to supply the pads.

The ministry does not allow procurement of goods at the headquarters. Jogoo House only develops guidelines used by schools to buy items.

The system has been used in implementing the free learning programmes in primary and secondary schools.

Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta set aside Sh300 million this financial year for sanitary pads. Schools from resource-poor areas would be given priority, he said.

Education assistant minister Ayiecho Olweny said recently Sh1.3 billion more was needed to roll out the programme nationally.

An estimated 2.7 million girls aged between nine and 18 years need sanitary towels.

Education secretary George Godia said there were areas where girls missed school for up to five days a month when they were experiencing menstruation.

Prof Godia said the scheme would be modelled on the school feeding programme that targets areas worst hit by drought.

The government has set aside Sh2 billion under the school feeding programme this financial year.

Recently, Parliament approved a motion seeking the establishment of a department to source and distribute sanitary towels to schoolgirls.