85 per cent of Ghanaian teenage girls are set to be retained in schools following the construction of toilet facilities.

This was revealed at a two-day conference of the World Bank-supported Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water project (GAMA) in Kumasi.

Over 10,000 schools in Ghana are reported to lack proper toilet facilities and water supply.

Research shows teenage girls miss school for five days in every month during their menstrual periods.

Project Manager at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, Charlotte Akwaah-Adjei Marfo attributes it to the lack of sanitary facilities to enhance proper hygiene during school hours.

“This has affected girl-child enrollment in school,” she pointed out.

The World Bank has therefore approved a US$155 million grant to support the Government of Ghana.

The funds will help increase access to sanitation and water supply services in schools.

This project which is in two phases is been implemented in Kumasi and Accra.

Low-income communities were selected.

Mrs Marfo is hopeful the implementation of the project will be crucial in retaining many teenage girls in school.

“We want children to come to school and have a toilet and a changing room where the girls can neatly observe hygiene during their periods.

“Four years of our project’s implementation, we are looking at retaining 85% girls in schools," she said.