The school going girl-child attending primary and secondary school need not worry much over sanitary pads in the near future as plans are afoot provide these to all – thanks a motion by Member of Parliament for Nata/Gweta Polsen Majaga which was unanimously approved by the legislators across the political divide.
Majaga moved an urgent motion on Friday calling on the measure to be implemented as soon as possible as studies show the girl-child is short of the sanitary pads could resort to unsafe products such as newspapers, posing a threat to the pupil, especially those from a disadvantaged family background.
“Some will even not attend school during the menstrual cycle, compromising her studies,” he said, attempting to woo his supporters in Parliament who did not waste time in endorsing of the motion.
While the sanitary pads will this time around be offered to all public students regardless of their backgrounds, the Assistant Minister Local Government and Rural Development Botlogile Tshireletso observed that the introduction of the motion should not be construed to mean the government has been doing nothing over such similar efforts especially for the needy children.
“My Ministry provided such sanitary pads particularly for the needy schools across the country,” Tshireletso argued, adding “that is the reason the motion was presented to the Ministry of Basic Education not my Ministry”.
“We only catered for the needy and that is just what we did,” she maintained.
This time the pads will be provided for all the pupils regardless of their family backgrounds. The Ministry of Basic Education will take charge of overseeing the initiative to ensure that it is implemented and enforced effectively.
The motion will initially cause confusion as to which Ministry is responsible to handle the debate response, endorsement or disapproval as both the Ministries of Local Government and Rural Development, Basic Education and Wellness and Health appeared mandated for the initiative.
A monthly natural flow of blood amongst the adolescent girl pupils, menstruation cycle, could take as long as four days, compromising the students during the period.
In this current competitive world, Minister of Wellness and Health Dorcas Makgato indicated the provision of sanitary pads for all was a welcome development.
“We are women not by choice,” for her part, the youthful Specially Elected legislator Bogolo Kenewendo appreciated the motion by Majaga.
