Stakeholders Advocate Provision of Adequate Information on Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools
By Murtala Muhammad
Stakeholders in have called for speedy domestication of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, SRHR education policy for inclusion into schools’ curricula to enable school children to have adequate information about menstrual hygiene management.
They also called for capacity strengthening for an adequate number of teachers of Basic and Post Basic schools on SRHR to enable them to pass correct and detailed information to their students.
The stakeholders made the call at a One-day Seminar on Promoting Comprehensive SRHR Education in Schools’ Curricula, organized by a Non Government Organization, Aid Connect for Development, AIDCODE with support Plan International’s Aspire Project, held in Bauchi.
One of them, Hajiya Sa’adatu Muhammad Usman from the state Ministry of Education said providing the right and adequate information to girls and boys at an early age on menstrual hygiene and other changes they may encounter during adolescence played a vital role in shaping their lives.
Ms Tara Glory Zugwai argued that gone were the days when parents and teachers hide significant information on critical issues such as menstrual hygiene management and taking care of oneself especially on personal hygiene.
On her part, the Executive Director,Stonewall and Child Support Foundation, Mrs Nenfwotmwa Mafwalal called for training of teachers on how to offer psychosocial support to adolescents during times of any confusion they may find themselves as a result of any trauma.
The Vice Principal Government Girls College Bauchi, Maryam Mohammed said her being a boarding one has girls from different northern states with varying backgrounds need such education for them to take care of themselves.
Earlier, the Executive Director, Aid Connect for Development, Ms Abigail Hardo who said the aim of the Seminar was to push for the promotion of comprehensive SRHR education in schools’ curricula, noted that school children particularly girls were left in darkness especially on issues that has to do with menstrual hygiene management.
A Development Journalists, Bashir Hassan Abubakar and the Chairman WDC, Bauchi LGA Ahmed Shehu emphasised the need for the state government to improve release of funds allocated to the Sexual and Reproductive Health component of the state Ministry of Health.
