Vouchers from Education Ministry to buy sanitary pads for schoolgirls

Colombo, June 6 (Daily Mirror) - The Education Ministry has launched a new initiative this month to provide free vouchers for schoolgirls to purchase sanitary pads, announced Education Minister Susil Premajayantha.

The inauguration of this programme took place this morning at the President's Girls School in Nawala. During the event, the Minister revealed that Rs. 1 billion had been allocated for this project.

The Ministry has introduced various student welfare programmes aimed at ensuring uninterrupted education, with the goal of fostering a well-rounded generation of children.

By providing these vouchers, the Ministry aims to improve school attendance among female students and address issues related to educational neglect and health problems that arise during economic hardships.

Starting in June 2024, the Ministry will provide vouchers to purchase sanitary pads for six months to students in seven national schools classified under the plantation school category and all provincial schools across Sri Lanka.

Each female student will receive a voucher worth Rs. 1,200. The Ministry has already arranged for these vouchers to be distributed through schools.

These vouchers can be used to purchase sanitary pads from shops registered with the Education Ministry. Students are responsible for ensuring that the sanitary pads they purchase are certified as hygienic by the Sri Lanka Standards Institute.

The voucher given to each female student consists of two parts, 'A' and 'B,' each worth Rs. 600. Part 'A' is valid from June 10, 2024, to July 10, 2024, while part 'B' can be used from September 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024. Sanitary pads must be purchased within these specified time frames.