By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Dec. 31: The government launched sanitary pad distribution campaign targeting all girl students of the community schools across the country by organising a function on Monday.
Under the campaign, girl students from grade six to grade 12 will receive sanitary pads according to their needs.
The Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MOEST) launched the pad distribution programme on Monday at a function organised at Siddhimangal Secondary School, Siddhipur, Mahalaxmi Municipality, Lalitpur.
The Ministry introduced the programme to decrease dropout rates of girl students and to create favourable environment to all girls in schools. The sanitary pads will be distributed in all secondary level schools in coordination of local governments.
The Minister has made public Sanitary Pad (Distribution and Management) Working Procedure, 2076 on Monday to its implementation.
Distribution of pads started also on Monday by handing over some pads by the Education Minister to the Mayor, by the Mayor to the headmaster and by the headmaster to girl students of Siddhimangal Secondary School.
Inaugurating the free sanitary pad distribution programme, Minister for Education Science and Technology, Giriraj Mani Pokharel asked all local governments and headmasters of all community schools to make the programme successful.
“The programme will be a big help from the perspectives of health and education of young girls across the country,” Pokharel said. The Minister informed that the government had allocated about Rs. 1.37 billion for this fiscal year from which 1,434,000 girl students would be benefitted.
Mahesh Prasad Dahal, education secretary, said the local government could produce the sanitary pads itself but it is mandatory to use at least 95 per cent cotton cloths. The Ministry of Health and Population has prepared audio video materials about the use of such sanitary pads and the materials will be provided in all community schools, Dahal said.
The pads are environment friendly and will degrade in six months of disposal, Dahal said. He asked all community schools to prepare a side for the proper management of the pads.
Anil Thakur, secretary of Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, asked the stakeholders to make the programme sustainable at low cost.
Babu Ram Poudel, general director of the Center for Education and Human Resource Center, said the dropout rate of girls students would decline and the programme wouldbe effective for strengthening public education.
Rameshwor Shrestha, Mayor of Mahalaxmi Municipality, said the municipality was itself distributing sanitary pads freely to girl students from last year.