Parly Wants Sanitary Wear Distribution Matrix Reviewed
By Tadiwa Musiyiwa
National Assembly has urged the Government to review the current procurement and distribution process for sanitary wear to schools to ensure that all intended beneficiaries are reached by the end of 2022.
The plea was made by the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education based on the findings presented in parliament last Tuesday.
The committee embarked on a fact-finding mission to evaluate the provision of sanitary wear in rural schools.
The high cost of sanitary wear has forced girls from vulnerable backgrounds into using unhygienic materials such as old pieces of cloth, newspapers, leaves, and cow dung.
Researchers have argued that these methods are breeding grounds for bacteria that can result in reproductive health infections.
Furthermore, other girls have resorted to missing school every month during the menstrual cycle.
To assist vulnerable girls and to keep them in school, the government first included resources for sanitary wear in the 2021 budget.
Lawmaker Hon Tonderayi Moyo presented the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education’s report on the provision of sanitary wear in rural schools and argued that the distribution of sanitary wear was hampered by problems such as transportation and equity.
“The Committee gathered that there are transport challenges associated with the distribution and collection of sanitary wear by school heads from the provinces as most schools are incapacitated.
“The Committee noted with concern the distribution of sanitary wear in Zaka District, which was shared equally among the schools without necessarily focussing on the enrolment of girls per school.
“For example, a recently established school like Chiedza Primary School received 48 packs disposable and 560 reusable pads, a satellite school like Makumire also received 48 packs and 560 reusable and an established school like Jerera with many girls received the same numbers,” said Moyo.
