Influence of sanitary towels on girl child perfomance in primary school: A case of the girl child in Tana river district

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between availability of sanitary towels and their influence on the perfomance of the girl child in primary schools and come up with possible ways of providing sanitary pads to girls in school as a key component towards not only overcoming the girls poor performance in examinations in primary school in Kenya but the way to reduce high rates of absenteeism, low self esteem in girl child and poor performance in extra-curriculum activities.

This research was conducted in six zones in Tana River District. The sample for the study comprised of one hundred and twenty girls. The data was obtained from self administered questionares to the girls. A pilot test was conducted with twenty girls from Tana Delta District and this contributed to the improvement of the research items in questionares. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics measures, namely frequence distribution and percentages.

The study revealed that girls in primary school lack sanitary pads .This affect their performance in examination, extra curriculum activities and social life in school. It established that girls have low self esteem, absent from school at least four days in a month, they shy from participating in sports and clubs, Incur abdominal pain and cramps and hence cannot concentrate in their class work. This has greatly contributed to the poor performance of the girls in the district in academic.

The reseacher recommended several ways through which girls in primary school can be provided with sanitary towels. The government should allocate a vote head from free primary education fund to cater for sanitary towels to all girls who have started menstruation in primary school or Introduction Affordable Pads. All NGO'S operating in primary school in kenya to include a component of sanitary towels provision to girls in order to help improve girl child attenadance in school. They should also assist in building toilets and providing water by drilling.