‘Poor menstrual hygiene management retards girl-child education’

Poor menstrual management in schools is affecting the education of adolescent girls.

Stakeholders said this in Jos at the presentation of results from a baseline study conducted on four secondary schools and University of Jos.

The Organised Centre for Empowerment and Advocacy in Nigeria (OCEAN)carried out the study to ascertain the availability or lack of menstrual hygiene management in schools as well as examine its influence on the performance of girls.

The Executive of OCEAN, Mary Director Omble Wuya, said the study showed that schools do not provide awareness on menstrual hygiene management and stated that the lack of hygiene facilities have affected girls’ ability to concentrate on their studies.

The report said there was no special provision for girls living with disability in schools and that most of the toilets in the schools under study were not secured.

The report added that when the male gender joined in the campaign that girls could carry out their duties with dignity and respect and recommended for provision of waste disposal facilities in toilets as well as the need to promote the establishment of hand washing advocacy clubs in schools.

Ifeoma Nwosu of WaterAid said though the research had focused on schools in the urban areas, the situation was worst in the rural areas and called on fathers to participate in buying sanitary pads for their children.