Vice President urges girls to excel, supports menstrual hygiene drive
The Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has encouraged young women to rise above limitations and strive for excellence in their academic pursuits.
“I urge you to believe in your potential and surpass expectations. I want you to become much, much better than I can ever be,” she said.
The Vice President made the remarks in Wa on Friday when she donated sanitary pads to senior high schools in the area.
She explained that the initiative stemmed from efforts between 2013 and 2016 to address troubling gaps in school attendance data.
According to her, the challenge was not due to a lack of interest in education, but rather a natural biological process — menstruation — which many girls struggled to manage due to inadequate resources.
She noted that many girls missed school during their menstrual periods, not because they were unwilling to learn, but because they lacked the necessary support.
“We realised that girls were missing school not because they did not want to learn, but because their bodies were behaving naturally,” she stated, adding that it was unacceptable for any girl to miss classes for such a reason.
The Vice President said the situation contributed to lower retention and progression rates among girls.
As a result, she indicated that interventions were introduced, including the provision of sanitary pads, improved access to water through boreholes, and enhanced sanitation facilities in schools.
Despite initial resistance and public ridicule, she said the initiative had gained wider acceptance over time.
“I remember the backlash, the cartoons, and the names,” she recalled.
She expressed satisfaction that the country had made progress in recognising menstrual hygiene as a critical factor in education, stressing that barriers to learning must be removed to enable every child to thrive.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang urged society to treat natural biological processes not as obstacles, but as realities that must be managed with dignity and support.
Addressing the students, she reminded them of the sacrifices their parents had made and encouraged them to remain committed to their studies.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing, underscored the importance of the initiative, stating that the donation was aimed at promoting school attendance and hygiene among female students.
He noted that providing sanitary products would help ensure that girls remained in school throughout their menstrual cycle, thereby improving educational outcomes and overall well-being.
The event brought together government officials, education directors, and students, with 26 senior high schools benefiting from the programme.
FROM NAZIRU ALHASSAN, WA
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