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The lack of furniture is affecting teaching and learning at Gbalahi Methodist Primary in the Sagnarigu municipality of the Northern Region.
The Gbalahi Methodist Primary, with a population of over 250 pupils, lacks furniture from nursery to primary six which has compelled the management of the school to practice the multi-grade system.
The furniture available for the school to manage has broken down beyond repairs forcing some pupils to sit on the bare floor to study.
Some of the pupils who spoke to DGN Online said because they lie down on the bare floor they normally feel regular back and body pains.
“ Sometimes we experience back pains and find it difficult to breathe because of the dust on the floor and sometimes we believe this can cause diseases like asthma or another respiratory disease.”
They said they are required to wash their uniforms on daily basis after school to enable them to use them again the next day.
The pupils, therefore, appealed to the Tamale North Member of Parliament, Metropolitan Chief Executive, GES, NGOs, philanthropists, and other organizations to come to their aid to provide them with furniture and other learning materials.
Some teachers who spoke to DGN Online on condition of anonymity said the pupils’ furniture ratio in the school is very bad and called on stakeholders to come to their aid.
“A class of about 40 pupils with only 5 dual desks is really bad so you can imagine the frustration teachers and pupils go through and it is affecting teaching and learning so we are appealing to the MP and other stakeholders to provide us with furniture to reduce the furniture deficit situation in the school.”
According to the teachers, the pupils have difficulties in writing and also concentrating in class because they lie on the floor to study and the movement of their colleagues in class.
The Sustainable Development Goal 4, which Ghana has signed onto, calls for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all but the furniture deficit at Gbalahi Methodist Primary is denying the pupils that opportunity.
