Schools told to provide free biodegradable sanitary pads to students

Panaji: The directorate of education (DoE) has directed state schools to provide menstrual hygiene facilities in their institutes, including making biodegradable sanitary napkins available free of cost to girl students, as per the Supreme Court guidelines.

“Every school must have functional, gender-segregated toilets with usable water connectivity. All school toilets shall be equipped with functional handwashing facilities, with soap and water available at all times. Every school must provide biodegradable sanitary napkins manufactured in compliance with the ASTM D-6954 standards free of cost,” the DoE circular states.

Such sanitary napkins shall be made readily accessible to girl students, preferably within the toilet premises through sanitary napkin vending machines, the schools have been told. If it is not immediately feasible to provide such installation within the toilet the same can be provided “at a designated place or with a designated authority within the school,” DoE has said.

“Every school must establish menstrual hygiene management (MHM) corners. Such MHM corners will be equipped with, including but not limited to, spare innerwear, spare uniforms, disposable bags, and to address menstruation related other necessary materials exigencies. Each toilet unit shall be equipped with a covered waste bin for the collection of sanitary material and cleanliness and regular maintenance of such bins shall be ensured at all times,” the circular states.

In a judgment delivered earlier this year, the SC issued binding directions to all states and UTs to ensure the provision of menstrual hygiene facilities in both govt and private schools.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) were directed to include gender-responsive curricula on menstruation, puberty to break the stigma.

District education officers (DEO) must conduct annual inspections, including anonymous feedback from students.

The apex court linked the access to menstrual facilities to Section 3 of the Right To Education.