Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu has described the government’s policy seeking to provide sanitary pads to female students in basic and secondary schools as an end to the indignity young girls endure during their monthly cycle.
Delivering remarks during the launch of the National Free Sanitary Pads For Girls in School at Salvation Army Cluster of Schools at Mamprobi in Accra, Mr. Iddrisu said the “milestone” was going to avoid situations where female students absent themselves from school on account of lacking sanitary pads.
He credited President John Mahama who was in attendance, for prioritizing the “mental and hygienic health” of women in the country.
During the election campaign last year, then opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) promised to initiate a programme to provide free sanitary pads to girls in basic and senior high schools.
Upon its inauguration, the Mahama administration has appropriated substantial amounts of funding to supporting the project.
In the 2025 budget, GHC292.4 million has been alloted to cater for the social intervention policy.
Mr. Iddrisu, who described the challenge of lacking sanitary pads as an “ordeal” was confident that the initiative will immensely benefit female students across the country.
“Today’s milestone in my words is to say a terminal end to the unbearable emotional trauma and indignity that young girls go through responding to nature.
“Excellency John Dramani Mahama says from today, you will give a terminal end to that strife and to that struggle so that no girl child in Ghana will abstain herself from school have her dignity compromised as we watched in the drama because of undergoing this natural biological process,” the minister stressed.
