Source: The Star
The Government will spend Sh200 million to buy sanitary pads for disadvantaged girls in primary schools in the country in the 2013/2014 financial year.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi said it has already identified 678,770 (class6-8) vulnerable girls in 9,161 schools drawn from 165 districts to benefit from this.

He also said the country allocated Sh240 million during the 2011/2012, and the 2012/2013 financial year in providing sanitary towels to girls .

It benefited 443,858 girls in public primary schools from 82 targeted districts in the 2011/2012 financial year, Kaimenyi said.

Adding that some 472,693 disadvantaged girls in public primary and 11,664 girls from special primary and secondary schools in 124 districts in 44 counties benefited in the 2012/2013 financial year.

The statement was made by Acting Director for the Ministry of Education Mrs. E. Khaoya during launch of the National Sanitary Towels School Programme at Loboso Primary School Marigat Sub-County in Baringo.

The launch was presided over by First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta who expressed concern that one million girls miss at least 4 days of schooling every month due to menstruation factors.

"As a result, they lose up to one and a half months of pupil to teacher contact time," she said adding that the problem requires the nation's urgent attention.

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