Female teacher’s call for zero-rating of Sanitary towels.

Female teacher’s want the sanitary towels to be zero-rated to be accessible to the children from the vulnerable families in the community.

They appealed for the government for an exemption of taxes from the pads, claiming that the learners in the puberty stage find it hard to afford the essential effects which has been exacerbated by the recently imposed 16% taxes to overall consumption goods.

Speaking in Kapsabet during the launching of Kenya Women Teacher’s Association (KEWOTA), teachers drawn from the schools within Nandi county region claimed that lack of pads has negatively impacted the students academic performance due to unaffordable products.

Led by KEWOTA CEO Benta Obande Akinyi and Jecinta Ndegwa, the women’s association advocated for a good girl child welfare in learning environment, pointing out that the school drop out to have been caused by menstruation circle.

“Many girls miss classes during there periods because most parents cannot afford to purchase the sanitary towels. It’s our special appeal as female teachers that the personal effects should be directly provided to all girls,” said CEO Obande.

This came after the 2020 UNICEF report indicated that 1.2 Million adolescent children miss classes up to two years while skipping studies to fight the monthly periods at their homes.

The international NGO stated that 40% of the girls hail from the humble families that leave below $1 thus become a challenge in access of hygienic facilities and therefore, opted to drop out of the school in fear of being stigmatized.

“As female teacher’s organization, we are geared to initiate girl child programs that promote their social and academic welfare. I am Collings upond the teachers to join the association since it empowers the children in education,” said Everlyne Chebet Koech, a teacher in Nandi.

However, the KEWOTA is working alongside with the male teachers in the bid to champion for the boy child rights.