By Beston Simwaka, Dowa
At least nine girls are absent from class every single day at Mponela Community Day Secondary School in Dowa District, not because they are sick, not because they are unwilling to learn, but because they are menstruating.
An MBC Digital investigation has established that the school has no designated changing rooms for female students and inadequate sanitation facilities, a gap that is quietly but consistently pushing girls out of the classroom.
For these learners, menstruation has become a monthly disruption to their education.
” We fail to go to school because there is no place where change during our menstrual periods, this forces us to stay long hours without changing, which makes us uncomfortable and affects our concentration in class”, said one student who asked for anonymity and we will name her Abiti. For Abiti, the absence of private spaces to change sanitary materials or clean up has forced her and many others to endure anxiety, embarrassment, and the constant fear of stains or ridicule. For some, the safer option is absence.
Nine girls per day may sound like a small number. But over weeks and months, those missed lessons accumulate into learning gaps, lower performance, and in some cases, eventual dropout.
Head teacher Michael Zambo did not downplay the crisis, describing the situation as a serious challenge affecting girls education and academic performance at the school
‘The absence of a designated changing facility has made it difficult for learners to attend classes because of fear of being roughed by others if they discover the their situation,” Zambo told this publication.
Dowa District Council spokesperson Sylvester Kumwenda acknowledged the urgency of the issue, describing changing rooms as essential for creating a conducive learning environment for female learners, particularly during their menstrual periods.
He assured learners, parents and school authorities that the council is committed to ensuring the project resumes as soon as possible. But for the girls missing class today, “as soon as possible” cannot come soon enough.
Dowa District Education Network, George Kaunda, says there is negligence among some authorities especially the mother care group and the girls themselves, saying that their numbers are large.
Warning that menstrual hygiene management is directly linked to school retention for girls.
Kaunda has therefore urged school authorities to take immediate action to ensure that learning continues to progress smoothly.
Kaunda added that the education network will visit the school to better understand the situation and work together with the authorities to help reduce the problem.
Meanwhile Education expert, Benedicto Kondowe, has described the situation as worrisome, warning that if authorities do not act swiftly, many girls may eventually drop out of school due to loose of interest in school and poor class attendance and performance.
He has therefore urged stake holders, including parents, councillors and other stakeholders to work together to improve facilities at the school so that girls can have proper and private changing rooms during their menstruation period.
Mponela community Day secondary school has a total of 841 girls as for both day and open and has 779 boys.
