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By Alfred Ajayi
Menstruation, for millions of Nigerian girls of school age is more than a biological process. It has become a monthly disruption to their educational pursuit.
How does one imagine that a 13-year-old student is compulsorily confined to the home at least for three or four days every month just for lack of sanitary pad. She suffers severe menstrual cramps, and fear of being mocked by her colleagues if her uniform becomes stained keeps her away every month the circle returns.
By the end of every academic session, such girls might have have missed several days, a situation capable of negatively impacting their academic performance except they make up for the lost days. From lower academic performance, some of the girls suffer reduced confidence, which may lead to eventual dropout in worst cases.
The question now is – Should a girl lose her education simply because she menstruates? While majority will say no, the reality points at recurrence of this every months across the country.
Menstrual health is increasingly recognised as both a public health and education issue. According to UNICEF, 23% of girls aged 15–24 in Nigeria reported missing school in the previous 12 months because of menstruation. That means nearly one in four adolescent girls has had her education disrupted by her monthly period.
This is not just a Nigerian problem as UNESCO estimates that one in every ten girls across sub-Saharan Africa misses school during menstruation. The number is even higher in communities higher poverty rate and poorer sanitation.
These statistics reveal a silent crisis going on across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. Menstruation as a natural occurrence points at growth in a girl’s life. It is not keeping girls out of school because it is unavoidable but because the support systems they seriously need are missing.
Why is menstruation a school problem?
Several interconnected factors make menstruation a significant challenge for Nigerian teenagers.
The first is period poverty as the rising cost of sanitary pads has placed menstrual products beyond the reach of many low-income families. Those of them who cannot afford disposable pads often resort to old cloth, tissue paper, newspapers, or other unhygienic materials.
This increases discomfort and the risk of infection. Many studies on menstrual health in Nigeria identify affordability as one of the strongest drivers of absenteeism.
Besides, research shows menstrual pain is among the leading reasons girls stay away from school during their periods. Many of them endure severe cramps, headaches, fatigue, and heavy bleeding during their period. Unfortunately, most schools have no nurse, no pain relief, and no policy allowing girls to rest briefly before returning to class.
Another factor is poor school facilities. Most public schools lack clean toilets with doors, running water, soap, and disposal bins for sanitary materials. UNICEF notes that inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities make it difficult for girls to manage menstruation safely and with dignity.
Due to shame and stigma, girls keep their menstrual experiences to themselves. Some girls reach their first period without understanding what is happening to their bodies.
Others endure teasing from classmates or silence from teachers and parents. Fear of staining their uniforms or being ridiculed often becomes an incentive to stay home.
The few days of absence have far-reaching impact on girls’ education. Apart from learning gaps created especially in subjects like mathematics and sciences, frequent absenteeism also reduces classroom participation, weakens examination preparation, and lowers overall academic achievement.
A mixed-method study on school attendance found that girls who experienced menstrual challenges were significantly more likely to miss school, while schools with cleaner toilets, soap, and better sanitation recorded lower absenteeism. The findings demonstrate that improving school facilities can directly improve attendance during menstruation.
Disengagement from education
For economically vulnerable girls, disengagement from school follows repeated absence. When girls lose education, Nigeria loses human capital.
Education is one of the strongest predictors of improved health, higher income, lower child marriage rates, and national productivity.
If nearly one-quarter of adolescent girls experience menstrual-related school disruption, the cumulative effect reaches far beyond individual classrooms.
The economic implications include: reduced learning outcomes among female students, and increased risk of school dropout in vulnerable communities.
Others are: lower participation of women in skilled employment later in life and slower progress toward Sustainable Development Goals on quality education, gender equality, and health.
In a nutshell, period poverty is not just a hygiene issue but a development challenge.
To change the narrative, coordinated action from government, schools, communities, and the private sector is solicited.
Removing taxes on menstrual products will cut down its cost, while government needs to support local production of affordable sanitary pads. There is need to provide free menstrual supplies in public schools serving low-income communities.
Building girl-friendly schools
As a matter of national policy, federal, state and local governments should ensure that every school has: separate toilets for girls, clean water and soap, covered disposal bins and private changing spaces.
Menstrual education should become part of comprehensive health education before girls experience their first period. Boys should also receive age-appropriate education to reduce stigma and bullying. Knowledge helps to replace fear with confidence.
Schools should establish simple menstrual support policies, including access to first aid, counselling, and temporary rest spaces for students experiencing severe discomfort instead of forcing them to return home.
Happily change is already happening across Nigeria as UNICEF and education partners have supported schools with menstrual hygiene education, improved sanitation facilities, and community awareness campaigns aimed at ensuring girls attend school confidently throughout their menstrual cycle.
However, Nigeria needs to translate menstrual health from charity to mainstream education policy. A girl’s monthly period should never determine whether she learns, writes an examination, or fulfils her dreams.
Instead of worrying about the stain of menstrual blood on a school uniform, the society should worry about the stain of allowing preventable barriers to deny millions of girls their right to education.
When schools become safe, sanitary, and supportive, menstruation becomes a normal part of life, not a reason for disrupted education.
