Assessment of Free Sanitary Pad Intervention Programme for Girls’ Education and School Retention in Tolon District in the Northern Region of Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the Free Sanitary Pad Intervention Programme for Girls’ Education and School Retention in Tolon District in the Northern Region of Ghana. Quantitatively, a descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study. The study population consist of female menstruating school adolescent girls from these five St, Monica’s R/C, Nyankpala D/A, Nizamia E/A, Islamia E/A and Nawaria E/A junior high schools between the ages of 10 to 22 years who were beneficiaries of CAMFED intervention programmes in the Tolon district. A homogeneous purposive sampling technique was used to select the five junior high schools and the one-hundred and fifty (150) adolescent girls in their menstrual cycle stage. The main instrument for data collection was a semi-structured questionnaire. The data entry and analysis were done by using the SPSS version 20 software package. The data was edited, coded and analysed into frequencies, percentages with interpretations. The study concluded that, there were frequent distribution of free sanitary pads among the beneficiaries’ schools. The study also indicated that the education given to the respondents during the distribution of the free sanitary pads led to improved menstrual hygiene management practices. It is recommended that, schools within the Tolon district should put in place the necessary and adequate toiletry and disposal systems to ensure menstrual hygiene among students especially, girls, during that time of the month. It is also recommended that, Government should make it a priority to provide every school with some sanitary products and drugs to cater for the female student taken by surprise with her monthly flow or the pain associated with mensuration not interfering with her academic work.