Chandigarh: The Punjab government has claimed to have launched one of India's largest school-based menstrual health education initiatives for adolescent girls studying in government schools.
On the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, the Punjab government announced the phased expansion of a 'Menstrual Hygiene Curriculum' across government high and senior secondary schools in all 23 districts of the state.
The first session of the curriculum is set to be conducted on May 29.
The initiative is expected to directly benefit more than 3.4 lakh girl students from classes 6 to 10 studying in over 3,600 government schools, an official statement said.
The move is aimed at addressing an issue that has traditionally remained surrounded by silence, hesitation, myths, and social stigma, it said.
The programme aligns with the spirit of the Supreme Court of India's observation recognising that menstrual health and hygiene are directly linked to dignity, education, and equality for adolescent girls, it said.
The programme has been launched in collaboration with WASH United, an international non-profit organisation working globally on menstrual health education and awareness.
Under the initiative, special classroom sessions will be conducted through a structured curriculum in Punjabi to ensure students can connect with the content in a relatable and comfortable manner, the statement said.
The sessions are conducted through interactive storytelling centred around the guide's main character, Ruby, a 10-year-old girl.
The sessions focus on helping students understand menstruation and bodily changes, maintain their hygiene, build confidence and self-esteem, and create supportive school and peer environments.
Across Punjab, around 7,200 teachers have already been trained by the government to conduct these sessions.
According to the statement, the programme follows a structured three-session intervention model that includes story-based learning and age-appropriate menstrual health education.
In preparation, around 100 state resource persons were first trained as Master Trainers, following which cascade training sessions were organised across districts to prepare teachers from thousands of government schools.
The expansion of the initiative has been based on encouraging results from a pilot programme conducted in more than 100 government schools across all 23 districts of Punjab involving over 45,000 students.
According to the findings shared by the Punjab Government, 97 per cent of teachers involved in the pilot said they felt confident delivering period education through the new curriculum, while 94 per cent recommended that the programme should be expanded to the rest of the state.
Around 88 per cent of teachers found the curriculum easier and more effective than previous approaches, while 80 per cent observed active participation by students.
Jaspreet Kaur, a teacher from Faridkot, said, "The Menstrual Hygiene Curriculum effectively breaks menstrual taboos by creating safe spaces for girls to ask questions and share experiences. The interactive approach using stories, games, and visuals makes learning relatable and reduces stigma. It definitely is a transformative tool for dignity and inclusion." Another teacher, Monika Sood from Amritsar, said girls participated enthusiastically in the sessions and openly shared personal experiences regarding how menstruation is often treated inside homes and communities.
She noted that lack of awareness about menstrual hygiene can create several health-related challenges for adolescent girls.
Silvi, a teacher from Moga, said that girls and even teachers who were earlier hesitant to speak about periods were able to discuss the topic openly and confidently during the sessions.
Students who participated in the programme also shared positive feedback about the sessions.
A class 9 student from Sangrur said the sessions increased her confidence and helped her understand that periods are a normal biological process and not a disease.
Another student from Moga said she found the sessions engaging and she even discussed the entire learning experience with her mother at home.
A class 10 student said girls were able to speak freely during the sessions without shame because the curriculum made them feel comfortable and represented.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
