Backed by funding from the Council and Scottish Government, the move will mean every pupil will have access to free sanitary products when they need them.
The launch of the scheme follows on from successful pilots which took place at Stirling High school, Bannockburn Primary School and Bannockburn High School, and were positively received by pupils.
Girls from the schools were able to access the service over weekends and holidays, having taken ownership of the programme which encouraged pupil feedback and engagement.
The experiences and lessons from the pilot schools were shared with all local schools at a launch event at Stirling High school on Thursday, August 23, which was also attended by Councillors.
The initiative was then given the green light to be spread through all schools in Stirling after the Scottish Government awarded the council further funding (£37,715 August 1st 2018- 31st March 2019) as part of a nation-wide strategy.
Councillor Susan McGill, Convenor of the Council’s Children and Young People Committee, said: “This important initiative will enable every girl in a Stirling school to access sanitary products when they need them, avoiding stigma, embarrassment or anxiety, and allowing them to maintain their dignity.
“There was very positive feedback from all the schools involved in the pilot and I would like to thank all the staff and pupils at the schools which participated, along with other council services and private partners, for their hard work in taking this innovative scheme forward quickly and effectively.
“Through the experiences and lessons of this successful pilot programme, we can ensure that the correct procedures are in place for this to be rolled out to all schools across Stirling and Scotland, ensuring that this becomes a thing of the past.”
Councillor Margaret Brisley, Vice Convenor of the Council’s Children and Young People Committee: “I’m delighted that this scheme is being expanded in Stirling following on from the successful pilot.
“Girls should be able to easily access these essential products in the schools, improving their health and wellbeing and allowing them to focus on learning.”
In February 2018, a paper was put to Council on the subject of free access to sanitary products in school establishments, detailing the potential costs of supplying free products for one year.
Stirling Council agreed to provide £30,000 of funding and a working group was set up to deliver the pilot programme. The working group took advice from West Lothian and Aberdeen Councils, which were already in the process of pilot schemes.
In August, the Scottish Government became the first government in the world to make free sanitary products available to all pupils and students.