The Director of Education in charge of Education Staff Development Institute (GESDI) under the Ghana Education Service(GES), Eva Gyina Bediako has bemoaned the inability of female children who have hit adolescence in the Central Region to afford menstrual pads during their periods. 

According to the Director, most girls in the region, are compelled to miss school when they are menstruating because they cannot afford to buy menstrual pads, based on available research.

Speaking in an interview with Class FM’s Central Regional Correspondent Nana Tawiah, on the sidelines of at event held on the theme: ‘Safeguarding the next generation-the role of emotional intelligence,’ held in Cape Coast, the Director reiterated the role of teachers and parents in the lives of menstruating female children.

Ms Bediako reminded teachers, who are mostly perceived as role models by their female students, on the need to help the students out during their menstruation period.

 “Teachers should take it upon ourselves, the female students look up female teachers as mentors, regarded as mentors. When mentoring someone, you do incur a bit of debt, so every month, you buy three pads to support the girls in your class,” she stated.

She further reminded parents of their role in the life of their menstruating female children and urged them to make provision for them in that regard. 

Ms Bediako said: “Parents too should bear in mind, before you go for funerals to go and make huge donations, we’ve bought our children’s pads. Companies, NGOs Camfed was doing well. Even the companies producing pads, I’ll plead that we help the girls, in the central region especially. 

“The girls don’t go to school because of pads, research has shown when they menstruate they don’t go to school because of pads.”

Touching on the price of menstrual pads which have shot up across the country, due to the fallen cedi and the rising cost of goods, the GES Director appealed to pad-producing companies to cut down on the prices of menstruation pads to make it easier for female children to afford it.

 “Prices have gone up now, but we plead that the companies producing pads to reduce the price so the children can also buy and enjoy their menstruation.”  

The event was organised by the Addison International Center for Emotional Intelligence, was attended by Senior High School students, teachers, parents and traditional leaders in the Central Region.