The Ministry of Education will continue its national programme to provide sanitary napkins to schoolgirls in 2026, initially launched in 2024. The initiative targets schoolgirls in rural, estate, and economically disadvantaged areas, covering over one million students above Grade 6 across schools islandwide, with a total allocation of Rs. 1.44 billion.

“The programme to provide sanitary napkins to schoolgirls, launched in 2024 by the Ministry of Education as a national initiative targeting schoolgirls in rural, estate, and economically disadvantaged areas, will continue to be implemented in 2026. The programme covers more than one million schoolgirls above Grade 6 across schools islandwide, with a total allocation of Rs. 1.44 billion,” the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated.

The programme’s progress and future implementation were reviewed at a meeting held recently at the Ministry of Education. The session was attended by the Deputy Minister of Education, the Secretary to the Ministry, and a group of senior officials, who discussed strategies to further improve menstrual hygiene among schoolgirls.