Teachers can help girls and women manage their menstrual periods with dignity by creating a girl friendly school environment. Teens can learn about their sexual identity and how to protect themselves from sexual abuse, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases through sexual education in schools. They can also learn about the physiological changes that occur in the body and how to maintain personal hygiene. Teachers’ attitude toward menstruating girls in schools is generally not positive or supportive in the majority of cases. School and college sex education is affected by the differing perspectives of parents, teachers, and society. Obstacles to sex education can be posed by cultural, religious, and social barriers, as well.
When it comes to children’s growth and development, our educational system is critical because it prepares them to respond to the changes and challenges that they face on a daily basis. In many cases, however, it avoids discussing issues related to menstruation and menstrual hygiene management because it is considered a personal matter that should be discussed within the family. It is a silent issue in many young women’s lives, and the attitude of teachers, the school environment, and infrastructure all have an impact on it. As a result, many young women choose to skip school during this time. The absence of sexual education from the school curriculum has a negative impact on the lives of students. Book, friend, and the Internet are all sources of information about puberty, sexual intercourse, menstruation, and other physiological changes in one’s body. This information, however, is often incomplete or inaccurate because of a lack of knowledge and social interaction, teasing and taunting with hurtful nicknames are commonplace in schools these days. Female students find it difficult to survive in such an environment, and as a result, they frequently miss school.
A large number of schools have male and female teachers who are apprehensive about talking to their students about menstruation and menstrual hygiene. Female teachers are also in short supply in a lot of places. It is common for teachers to skip over such topics in textbooks in order to avoid open discussion in class or to avoid answering questions from students. It has also been discovered that some girls are afraid to stand up to answer teacher’s questions for fear of leakage or smell, and that some girls are afraid to write on blackboard for fear of any menstrual accident or blood stains on their clothes being seen by others because of the unsupportive environment in their schools. When girls reach puberty, some parents do not allow them to attend school because they are concerned about sexual harassment by boys and male teachers at the institution.
It is necessary for male teachers and employees in schools and institutions to be well educated and confident in their knowledge of menstrual hygiene management so that they can support girls and women by providing a safe environment as well as privacy during their periods. A committee of teachers, both male and female, should be formed in schools to raise funds for the provision of sanitary napkins, soap, water, and toilet facilities in schools, allowing girls to manage their menstrual cycles with ease and safety. sanitary napkins, soap, water, and toilet facilities in schools A dustbin for menstrual waste should also be provided by the committee. Girls and boy’s toilets should be separated in schools, as well as toilets with proper doors and locks. Education about menstrual health management and the connection between it and girls’ health should be emphasized in the curriculum. They should also educate female students on proper disposal of used menstrual products at home and at school, as well as the dangers of throwing them out in the open or flushing them down the toilet. In order to raise awareness among students, schools should organize open discussions on topics such as puberty, sex education, menstruation, and other related topics. Providing them with correct knowledge in this manner will help them to resolve their unanswered questions while also encouraging social interaction and developing a trusting relationship with their peers and teachers. School-level health policies should be developed by the school management committee in order to promote and educate students about health and safety issues, to ensure adequate water and sanitation facilities, and to protect female students and staff from bullying and sexual harassment on a daily basis.
HACEY is committed to ensuring that young girls and women are aware of their bodies and understand how to manage their sexual health on a daily basis. For more information, please visit www. hacey.org.
Written By:
Michael Adegboye
