Girls' education has been hindered by several socio-cultural factors such as household chores, early marriages, teenage pregnancies and poverty which adversely affect access to basic amenities such as sanitary towels. These challenges bring about gender disparities in education. The government of Kenya is committed to end this disparity by ensuring equity of access and participation of all girls and boys in education. This is evidenced through education policies in place such as the Government's Sanitary Towels Initiative (GSTI) whose aim is to minimize barriers to education for girls and put them at par with the boys. This study sought to look at the trends in the provision of sanitary towels and the strategies for the sustainability of such provision in improving education in Kuresoi South subcounty, Nakuru County, Kenya. The study employed Descriptive Survey design; stratified random sampling and purposive sampling was useful in selecting schools and principals respectively. Simple random sampling was useful to draw class teachers and secondary school girls from the target population. Questionnaires for students, interview schedules for principals and class teachers and document analysis are the research instruments that were used to collect data. Data was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The study findings revealed that GSTI is not adequate despite existing policies. The study also established that the following strategies if implemented would ensure the sustainability of this initiative. There is need for adequate funding, clearer policies, constant supply through the year and increase in quality of the sanitary towels. Access to information on menstrual health and management is also very important. These findings are envisioned to be beneficial to all the education stakeholders not only in Kenya but also internationally, as an eye-opener on the need of interventions to ensure equity of educational access and participation for both boys and girls.

Globally, studies continue to document disparities in women’s access and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines in the universities. Despite existence of policies at the national and institutional level, no single and clear road map exists on what set of interventions can best contribute to redressing this disparities.  This study draws attention to the low participation of female students in STEM disciplines and especially in hard sciences in Kenyan public universities. Data for the study were collected in three public universities that were purposively sampled. Questionnaires, interviews, observations, content and documentary analysis were used as key instruments for data collection and research techniques. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The study findings revealed that, despite the existing educational gender interventions, female students’ enrolment and participation in STEM disciplines in the Kenyan public universities is 30% and less than 20% in hard sciences. The study also established that there exists a continued process of gender typing in the  secondary school curriculum which students pick and is further manifested in the universities. This stereotype has created a false perception among female students that soft sciences are marketable for the female gender and are feminine compared to the hard sciences. Further there exists socio-cultural and institutional barriers that affects female students’ participation in STEM disciplines. The study recommends first, the need for government and universities to develop educational STEM policies and interventions to increase female participation in STEM disciplines. Second, the STEM curricula should be made gender responsive with integration of additional STEM female faculty members to act as mentors to female students. Appropriate STEM mentoring and career guidance should be enhanced at all levels of education and all educational stakeholders should be involved in minimising socio-cultural, institutional barriers and stereotypes on masculinity of STEM disciplines.