Schools in some remote areas are seeking for more sanitary materials for ‘girls’ room’ as a measure to help in mitigating dropouts and missing classes.
Speaking to The New Times, during the International Day of the Girl celebrated on October 11, Marie Chantal Gizayino from Groupe Scolaire Shwemu I, said "Dropouts significantly went down as a result of the girl's room. They do not miss class anymore. But, we still get issues of inadequate materials like having enough sanitary towels. Sometimes you find a girl with one pair of knickers and yet they need to continuously change sanitary towels. It’s a challenge.”
The headmistress of Groupe Scolaire Sanzare in Nyundo Sector in Rubavu district, Dative Ingabire, said that ever since the girls room become mandatory, it has helped girls in their welfare but needs improvement in terms of capacity as materials currently are not enough.
"There is almost everything here including the bed. We also have a bathroom for girls to take a shower but it is not yet connected to the piped water system. Sometimes sanitary towels, soaps and underwears get finished earlier when we do not have money for buying more. We request the government to increase the money allocated to girls room to address this challenge.”
The Mayor of Rubavu, Ildephonse Kambogo, said there is an ongoing inspection week that seeks to assess all present issues in the education sector for solutions.
According to the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), a specific budget, different from the one allocated to schools is sent by the Ministry of finance directly to schools for girls ‘room materials and other sanitary equipment.’
The money is allocated in accordance with the number of present female students at any school across the country "as well as available budget.”
The ministry conducts monitoring and evaluation on the standards of girl’s rooms and whether that budget is used accordingly.
"Parents should continue taking care of their children as it is their primary duty but also work with teachers to enhance their children’s education through regular communication and follow up,” said Claude Uwihoreye, Communication Specialist at the Ministry of Education, he added that "Teachers also should continue caring about them, help them during their menstruation periods.”
Data collected in 2019-2020 show that girls’ rooms were at 57 per cent, 82 per cent and 66 per cent in primary, secondary and TVET schools respectively.
In Primary schools, there are still quite a number of rooms and showers as René Kamoso, a teacher of French language at Gatwaro Primary school said.
He added something needs to be done for other girls to get assistance during menstruation periods.
Monique Uwineza, a senior three students, said that the room has been an answer for her and other girls when it comes to taking showers or changing underwear or sanitary towels.
"There are girls who couldn’t afford sanitary towels and the rooms came in handy,” said Vivante Mukarwari, a senior six student.