AQW 13445/22-27
Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry
Tabled Date: 17/06/2024
Answered On Date: 26/06/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the number of schools currently supplying students with free period products.
Answer:
My Department has provided funding for free period products in schools since September 2021, under the Period Dignity Pilot Scheme. The scheme will conclude on 30 June 2024 to make way for extended, permanent provision under the Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (The Act). In April 2023, 88.3% (1,053) of pupils, responding to a CCEA survey on the pilot scheme, confirmed that free period products were available in their school. Overall school engagement with the pilot scheme was excellent and is set out in the following table: Sector | Number of schools | Number of schools ordering through scheme supplier | % | Grammar | 73 | 62 | 85% | Secondary | 150 | 135 | 90% | Special | 37 | 37 | 100% | Total | 260 | 234 | 90% | Adjusted * | 248 | 234 | 94% |
*Adjusted for 12 non-ordering boys’ schools 796 (100%) of Primary Schools were provided with an allocation of free period products at the start of each academic year and a small number of post-primary schools made their own purchasing arrangements. These schools are not included in the above table.
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