Chandigarh, May 28 (IANS) The Punjab government on Thursday launched one of India’s largest school-based menstrual health education initiatives for adolescent girls studying in government schools across the state.

On the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day, the government announced the phased statewide expansion of the “Menstrual Hygiene Curriculum” across government high and senior secondary schools in all 23 districts.

The first session of the curriculum is set to be conducted across these government schools on Friday.

This initiative is expected to directly benefit more than 3.4 lakh girl students from Classes VI to X studying in over 3,600 government schools, a government statement said.

The initiative reflects the government’s growing focus on creating a modern and inclusive public education system where girls are empowered with awareness, confidence, dignity, and access to accurate health information.

By taking menstrual health education into classrooms on such a large scale, the government has attempted to address an issue that has traditionally remained surrounded by silence, hesitation, myths, and social stigma.

Officials said the initiative is aimed at ensuring that menstruation never becomes a barrier to girls’ education, confidence, participation, or well-being in school life.

The programme aligns with the spirit of the Supreme Court’s observations, recognising that menstrual health and hygiene are directly linked to dignity, education, and equality for adolescent girls.

The government launched the programme in collaboration with an international non-profit organisation working globally on menstrual health education and awareness.

Under the initiative, specially designed classroom sessions will be conducted through a structured curriculum called the Menstrual Hygiene Curriculum, which has been developed in Punjabi to ensure students can connect with the content in a relatable and comfortable manner.

The sessions will be conducted through interactive storytelling centred around the guide’s main character, Ruby, 10, along with guided classroom discussions and participatory activities to make learning engaging, relatable, and safe for students.

The sessions focus on helping students understand menstruation and bodily changes, strengthen hygiene and self-care practices, build confidence and self-esteem, and create supportive school and peer environments.

To ensure effective implementation across Punjab, around 7,200 teachers have already been trained by the government to facilitate these sessions sensitively and confidently inside classrooms.

The programme follows a structured three-session intervention model that includes story-based learning and age-appropriate menstrual health education.

–IANS

vg/dan