Lack of sanitary pads slices Kumi school attendance by 50%

EDUCATION

Parents are to blame for absenteeism and school dropout amongst girls in Kumi district for failure to provide their daughters with sanitary towels and panties, education authorities have said.

Kumi inspector of schools, Sarah Adong said the problem is prevalent mostly among girls in primary schools.

"You can imagine, even some teachers do not shake hands with girls who are in their periods. This kind of attitude is wrong and teachers should desist from it because they are the immediate parents to these children. They should be exemplary," Adongo said.

Speaking to the parents of Akide and Kumi primary schools, Adong said most parents just send children to school without necessary requirements thinking the government's Universal Primary Education (UPE) program caters for all children's needs.

Adongo said only 50% of the girls complete primary level and the other 50% dropout due to various reasons.

Following the revelations, Rotary club of Kumi on Friday donated sanitary pads, panties and soap to over 1,000 girls in three schools of Kumi, Akide and Agigiroi.

The donation followed a report which indicated that most of the girls in rural schools across the districts of Kumi and Ngora are still skipping school over lack of sanitary pads, panties and other basic needs.

Margaret Iwatu Odikor, the president Kumi Rotary club said, they visited some schools in the district that included, Kamaca, Kacaboi, Akide, Omatenga, Kapokin and found out that, most of the girls were dropping out of school due to lack of sanitary pads and knickers.

Iwatu said in their survey, they also discovered that majority of the girls were not putting on panties at school and were not able to play freely with other children, something which prompted them to think of donating re-usable pads, panties and soap.

"As rotary club Kumi in conjunction with our friends the Rotarians from Brain Bridge United State of America (USA), we shall continue to support the girls as long as we have funds', Odikor said.

The head teacher for Kumi primary school, Carolina Akello and the senior woman teacher Akide primary school, Anna Igeri commended members of Rotary club Kumi and USA for the support given to their girls. Igera described the donation as a big boost to the girl child education.