Question NW3993 to the Minister of Basic Education
15 December 2017 - NW3993
Boshoff, Ms SH to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether (a) her department and/or (b) any of the provincial basic education departments provide free sanitary pads to female learners; if not, why not; if so, (i) what number of schools have received the free sanitary pads and (ii) what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
a) The Department of Basic Education (DBE) does not have resources in the voted funds to provide sanitary towels to female learners.
b) Provinces such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal have implemented local initiatives to provide sanitary towels to female learners.
(i) (ii)The project is a provincial initiative that is led and funded by each of the provinces. The school lists and relevant details remain in the custody of the said Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) and the question may be referred to the said PEDs.