Zanlerigu Primary and JHS suffer furniture deficit

The Zanlerigu Junior High (JHS) and primary schools in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region are faced with a furniture shortfall of 135, denying some of the pupils the opportunity of sitting on chairs to learn.

Some of the pupils are compelled to sit on the floor while others sit on broken furniture placed on cement blocks to read and write.

This inadequate furniture situation prompted the Parents Association (PA) of the schools to ask the parents to provide furniture for their wards, but some could not do so.

A visit to the Schools by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) revealed that only a small number of the students had mono desks while the majority used broken dual desks supported by cement blocks.

With a total population of 150 pupils at the Junior High School (JHS), JHS 3(A) only 28 pupils had twelve mono desks and three broken dual desks while JHS 3(B) with 21 pupils had nine mono desks and four broken dual desks for the pupils to sit on.

The story was similar at JHS Two and One as some of the pupils either paired with other pupils on their mono desks or sat on broken furniture placed on cement blocks.

Pupils of the primary school were not spared the ordeal, especially the lower primary as basic one pupils resorted to using furniture meant for Kindergarten (KG).

With a total population of 341 pupils in the primary school, basic one, made up of 50 pupils, shared three benches, basic two with 67 pupils used 12 dual desks while basic three, made up of 57 pupils shared 17 dual desks.

Most of the furniture was broken and some had no tables for the pupils to place their books on to write.

Abaa Cletus Assibi, the Headteacher of the JHS, said the inadequate furniture was not only affecting teaching and learning but also contributed to absenteeism.

He said most of the pupils felt uncomfortable in class due to the limited furniture for them to sit on and that had created room for them to give excuses for not attending school regularly.

Abaa said though the problem of furniture faced by the schools was made known to the District Education Service and the District Assembly, the school was yet to receive any help.

Yenpusak Joseph Nyagre, the Public Relations Officer of the District Education Service, said the Directorate’s attention had been drawn to the furniture deficit faced by the schools and had accordingly reported the same to major stakeholders.

Agnes Anamoo, the Nabdam District Chief Executive, told the GNA that the Assembly received complaints on the issue of furniture from the schools and was working to resolve it.

She, however, appealed to non-governmental organizations and individuals to help the assembly provide furniture for the schools to create an enabling environment to improve teaching and learning for the pupils to realize their potential.