The Role of Sanitary Pads in School Achievement in Low-Income Settings

Educational attainment and achievement are key areas of study for social scientists because they are associated with a wide range of outcomes, including income, careers, marriage, fertility, migration, and longevity. Using unique multimethod, longitudinal data from Nepal, a low-income setting, we explore how the availability of sanitary pads in restrooms is associated with school achievement. We focus on eighth grade students, marking a pivotal time in which many female students begin menstruating. Multilevel modeling estimates reveal that the availability of sanitary pads in school restrooms have a statistically significant positive association with an increase in language test scores for females. The results also show a positive association between the availability of sanitary pads and an increase in math and science test scores, but these associations are not statistically significant. These findings reveal that school hygiene facilities can play an important role in school achievement, which can shape students' matriculation into the next academic year and potential longer-term consequences including both academic and social outcomes, such as school dropout, income, and marriage timing.