Menstruation keeps girls out of school
ROBINAH Amato from Yumbe district was due to sit her Primary Leaving Exams in two weeks, but dropped out of school abruptly. She had started her periods. “I was so humiliated that I could not step in the classroom again,†she recalls. Amato, 26, is no
By Gladys Kalibbala
ROBINAH Amato from Yumbe district was due to sit her Primary Leaving Exams in two weeks, but dropped out of school abruptly. She had started her periods. “I was so humiliated that I could not step in the classroom again,†she recalls.
Amato, 26, is now married with two children but she vividly recalls the incident like it just happened yesterday.
As she stood up after the teacher asked her to illustrate her answer on the blackboard, the boys burst into thunderous laughter.
She was not aware that her dress had been stained with blood. When a friend told her why the boys laughed, she was embarrassed and wished the ground could open up and swallow her. “I rushed out of the classroom never to return,†she says.
Amato was a brilliant girl, but no amount of persuasion from her class teacher could get her back to school. She could only resume her studies at another school. Unfortunately, the nearest school was about 11km away and her parents could not allow her to walk the long distance alone as no other child from their area attended that school.
Daniel Lulu, a primary school teacher in one of the schools in Yumbe, confesses he only came to realise the gravity of Amato’s situation when he grew up. Lulu was among the boys who laughed at her. He blames their teachers for not involving boys in sexuality talk.
“Some people may urge that it is not necessary but if we, the boys, had known that menstruation was a normal part of a woman’s life, we would not have behaved the way we did,†he argues.
Lulu says when he had just started working, he lived with his sister who, one time, refused to go to school claiming she had a stomach ache. But because he suspected she was in her periods, he talked to her about it.
“She was shocked when I started the menstruation talk, but later after I had assured her that it was normal, she opened up and revealed that she feared to go to school because she had no sanitary pads,†he says.
Lulu says from Amato’s experience, he did not want his sister to drop out of school for the same reason. Like Amato, many young girls have dropped out of school due to an issue that can be handled.
To tackle the problem, the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Uganda, an organization committed to bridging the gender gap in African education, has started a programme to retain girls in school. With support from USAID, the organisation provides text books and is also committed to providing washrooms and changing rooms in various schools.
According to the FAWE national coordinator, Martha Muhwezi, the changing rooms have emergency kits such as soap, basin, painkillers, cotton wool and gauze. The rooms also have extra knickers and uniforms for the girls.
Muhwezi says the project has already kicked off in Lefori, Aliba, Idrimari, Liwa and Goopi primary schools in Moyo district. Others are Swinga, Takwa, Pakayo, Lodonga and Awoba primary schools in Yumbe district.
“We want to change these girls’ lives by providing them with a good sanitary environment to stop absenteeism and school dropout,†she explains.
Prof. Mary Okwakol, the FAWE chairperson, says self help projects have been started in some of these schools. Pupils will make handicrafts, among other activities to earn income.
At Liwa Primary School, the pupils have planted vegetables, onion and tomatoes for sale to their teachers and neighbouring communities. Okwakol says many parents in northern Uganda have been affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency that they cannot cater for their children’s needs.
“All stakeholders need to understand why an increased investment in girls’ education is required for development in the new millennium. We should not allow girls to drop out of school over something that can be handled,†she says.
Okwakol says the income from these small projects can be spent on buying sanitary pads or books for poor girls. She says plans are underway to train many of the girls to make sanitary towels locally. “This will help them manage their menstruation periods.â€
How do you handle emergencies?
The reality of menstruation is depressing when one is at school. Gladys Kalibbala and Carol Natukunda find out how the teachers and school girls deal with it:
Sister Agripina Mbabazi, a teacher at St Agnes Bugonga Girls School, Entebbe
This situation needs a school’s intervention, but where there is a financial constraint, it becomes difficult to handle.
We can only provide sanitary pads in emergency cases. We ask pupils to carry enough sanitary pads. Once every year, the producers of Always give a packet of pads to each girl. Since they also give pupils who have not started their periods, we use their pads during emergencies.
Parents need to talk to their daughters about menstruation and provide the required necessities, so that they do not miss classes. We have bathrooms and provide new girls with knickers during emergencies. In cases where a girl soils her uniform, we allow her to wash and iron it with the help of the senior woman teacher.
Joshua Agan, the director of studies, Moroto High School
We are not harsh on girls who miss class due to their periods. The environment in this region is harsh. Water is scarce, but we encourage girls to fetch it from boreholes. We encourage them to talk to the matron or senior woman teacher and to ask for permission to go out and buy sanitary towels.
Aidan Aine, head teacher, Hillside SS, Ntungamo
We have a strict senior woman teacher who pushes girls to attend class. But some of the day students just do not show up and when they return, they claim they were sick, yet there are no signs of sickness. At the beginning of each term, we check to ensure every girl has carried sanitary pads. We also have pads for emergencies.
Annet Nankya, teacher at St. Agnes Bugonga Girl’s, Entebbe
I do not understand why a girl in Buganda should get her periods without knowledge of how to go about it! In Buganda a cultural norm has to be carried out before a girl getting her periods.
The people concerned like the ssenga (paternal aunt) are expected to talk to girls about menstruation. If parents fails to make time to listen to their children, they will seek help from their peers who may give them wrong advice. Parents should note that many girls are now starting their periods as early as P.3. Some of them may have started school late.
Charles Sunday head teacher of Rushoroza Seed School, Kihiihi
We have a senior woman teacher. She advises girls to buy sanitary towels and we keep them. But some girls use pieces of cloth because they cannot afford pads. Some keep away from school. We have three latrines for teachers, boys and girls, respectively. Our major challenge is water.
Prossy Nabatanzi, P7, Mengo Muteesa II, Kampala
Without water it is hard to handle periods. Girls always run to the senior woman teacher for help. If water and sanitary pads are available, I cannot miss class.
Christine Beyagala, a parent
Parents need to talk to their children early. It is not proper for a girl to be sent back home without help. Since we send children to school with toilet paper, one should be given a roll in emergencies.
ROBINAH Amato from Yumbe district was due to sit her Primary Leaving Exams in two weeks, but dropped out of school abruptly. She had started her periods. “I was so humiliated that I could not step in the classroom again,†she recalls.
Amato, 26, is now married with two children but she vividly recalls the incident like it just happened yesterday.
As she stood up after the teacher asked her to illustrate her answer on the blackboard, the boys burst into thunderous laughter.
She was not aware that her dress had been stained with blood. When a friend told her why the boys laughed, she was embarrassed and wished the ground could open up and swallow her. “I rushed out of the classroom never to return,†she says.
Amato was a brilliant girl, but no amount of persuasion from her class teacher could get her back to school. She could only resume her studies at another school. Unfortunately, the nearest school was about 11km away and her parents could not allow her to walk the long distance alone as no other child from their area attended that school.
Daniel Lulu, a primary school teacher in one of the schools in Yumbe, confesses he only came to realise the gravity of Amato’s situation when he grew up. Lulu was among the boys who laughed at her. He blames their teachers for not involving boys in sexuality talk.
“Some people may urge that it is not necessary but if we, the boys, had known that menstruation was a normal part of a woman’s life, we would not have behaved the way we did,†he argues.
Lulu says when he had just started working, he lived with his sister who, one time, refused to go to school claiming she had a stomach ache. But because he suspected she was in her periods, he talked to her about it.
“She was shocked when I started the menstruation talk, but later after I had assured her that it was normal, she opened up and revealed that she feared to go to school because she had no sanitary pads,†he says.
Lulu says from Amato’s experience, he did not want his sister to drop out of school for the same reason. Like Amato, many young girls have dropped out of school due to an issue that can be handled.
To tackle the problem, the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Uganda, an organization committed to bridging the gender gap in African education, has started a programme to retain girls in school. With support from USAID, the organisation provides text books and is also committed to providing washrooms and changing rooms in various schools.
According to the FAWE national coordinator, Martha Muhwezi, the changing rooms have emergency kits such as soap, basin, painkillers, cotton wool and gauze. The rooms also have extra knickers and uniforms for the girls.
Muhwezi says the project has already kicked off in Lefori, Aliba, Idrimari, Liwa and Goopi primary schools in Moyo district. Others are Swinga, Takwa, Pakayo, Lodonga and Awoba primary schools in Yumbe district.
“We want to change these girls’ lives by providing them with a good sanitary environment to stop absenteeism and school dropout,†she explains.
Prof. Mary Okwakol, the FAWE chairperson, says self help projects have been started in some of these schools. Pupils will make handicrafts, among other activities to earn income.
At Liwa Primary School, the pupils have planted vegetables, onion and tomatoes for sale to their teachers and neighbouring communities. Okwakol says many parents in northern Uganda have been affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency that they cannot cater for their children’s needs.
“All stakeholders need to understand why an increased investment in girls’ education is required for development in the new millennium. We should not allow girls to drop out of school over something that can be handled,†she says.
Okwakol says the income from these small projects can be spent on buying sanitary pads or books for poor girls. She says plans are underway to train many of the girls to make sanitary towels locally. “This will help them manage their menstruation periods.â€
How do you handle emergencies?
The reality of menstruation is depressing when one is at school. Gladys Kalibbala and Carol Natukunda find out how the teachers and school girls deal with it:
Sister Agripina Mbabazi, a teacher at St Agnes Bugonga Girls School, Entebbe
This situation needs a school’s intervention, but where there is a financial constraint, it becomes difficult to handle.
We can only provide sanitary pads in emergency cases. We ask pupils to carry enough sanitary pads. Once every year, the producers of Always give a packet of pads to each girl. Since they also give pupils who have not started their periods, we use their pads during emergencies.
Parents need to talk to their daughters about menstruation and provide the required necessities, so that they do not miss classes. We have bathrooms and provide new girls with knickers during emergencies. In cases where a girl soils her uniform, we allow her to wash and iron it with the help of the senior woman teacher.
Joshua Agan, the director of studies, Moroto High School
We are not harsh on girls who miss class due to their periods. The environment in this region is harsh. Water is scarce, but we encourage girls to fetch it from boreholes. We encourage them to talk to the matron or senior woman teacher and to ask for permission to go out and buy sanitary towels.
Aidan Aine, head teacher, Hillside SS, Ntungamo
We have a strict senior woman teacher who pushes girls to attend class. But some of the day students just do not show up and when they return, they claim they were sick, yet there are no signs of sickness. At the beginning of each term, we check to ensure every girl has carried sanitary pads. We also have pads for emergencies.
Annet Nankya, teacher at St. Agnes Bugonga Girl’s, Entebbe
I do not understand why a girl in Buganda should get her periods without knowledge of how to go about it! In Buganda a cultural norm has to be carried out before a girl getting her periods.
The people concerned like the ssenga (paternal aunt) are expected to talk to girls about menstruation. If parents fails to make time to listen to their children, they will seek help from their peers who may give them wrong advice. Parents should note that many girls are now starting their periods as early as P.3. Some of them may have started school late.
Charles Sunday head teacher of Rushoroza Seed School, Kihiihi
We have a senior woman teacher. She advises girls to buy sanitary towels and we keep them. But some girls use pieces of cloth because they cannot afford pads. Some keep away from school. We have three latrines for teachers, boys and girls, respectively. Our major challenge is water.
Prossy Nabatanzi, P7, Mengo Muteesa II, Kampala
Without water it is hard to handle periods. Girls always run to the senior woman teacher for help. If water and sanitary pads are available, I cannot miss class.
Christine Beyagala, a parent
Parents need to talk to their children early. It is not proper for a girl to be sent back home without help. Since we send children to school with toilet paper, one should be given a roll in emergencies.