Four pupils to one desk: The painful plight of schools in New Juaben North

The New Juaben North Education Directorate in the Eastern Region of Ghana is pleading for additional desks and chairs for schools in the area, as reports indicate that up to four students are sometimes forced to share a single desk. Okyere Boateng Samuel, the Head of Planning and Statistics at the Directorate, highlighted that the lack of adequate furniture is adversely affecting the learning environment for pupils, making it difficult to create the conditions required for effective teaching and learning.

He made this appeal following the New Juaben North Municipal Assembly's donation of over 1,000 chairs to the Education Directorate for distribution to schools in need.

While the Municipal Assembly's donation was appreciated, Boateng Samuel emphasized that more furniture is still required to alleviate the shortfall in the affected schools. He urged the government, relevant authorities, organizations, and other stakeholders to contribute additional desks and chairs, stating that doing so would not only enhance pupils' comfort but also contribute to a better learning atmosphere, ultimately improving the quality of education.

Samuel Adongo, the New Juaben North Municipal Chief Executive, explained that the provision of furniture was part of initiatives implemented in response to a government directive for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to utilize part of the District Assembly Common Fund for this purpose. After receiving the chairs, Adongo noted that the intervention was already making a positive difference in schools, mentioning instances where he witnessed pupils sitting on the classroom floor due to a lack of desks and chairs.

He emphasized that the furniture support was crucial to improving conditions in schools, enabling pupils to learn in a more suitable environment. The donated chairs are intended to be distributed to schools identified by the Education Directorate as having furniture shortages.