A GNA feature by Gilbert Azeem Tiroog
Zanlerigu (U/E), April 26, GNA – Master Baa-la Elisah, 15-year-old class six pupil at the Gundork Primary School in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region, is worried that his dream of becoming a lawyer may be shattered.
This is because of the situation he finds himself in.
Background
inadequate furniture in his school, which has compelled him to either sit or lie on his stomach on the bare floor to read and write, gives him discomfort and back pain and was gradually derailing his academic performance.
“Maybe, my crime is to be born here and to seek education in this school because what my colleagues and l are going through is not the best, but we are compelled to sit on the bare floor with our books on our laps and sometimes lie on our stomachs to write when it is required.”
“I feel pains at my back, waist and sometimes at my elbow because of sitting and lying on my stomach on the bare floor to read and write, and this sometimes put me to sleep even at contact hours in class, making me to lose track of lessons.
“I want to become a lawyer, but I don’t think that would be possible because even my junior brother who is being cared for by a friend of my father in the city and is in Class Three can read better than I.
“When he came home for vacation, he could read books that I couldn’t read, this shows I am underperforming,” he said.
The Nabdam example
The account above by Baa- la Elisah is one among hundreds of pupils in the Nabdam District who are gradually losing hope on their dreams as a result of the inadequate furniture faced by the schools and affecting their academic performance.
Almost all 96 pupils in basic two at the primary school either sit or lie on their stomachs on the bare floor to write.
With a population of 416 pupils, Basic One, made up of 60 pupils shared five dual desks, basic two with 96 pupils used seven dual desks and basic three with 66 pupils had 10 dual desks to share.
The story was not different at the Kontintabig, Damolg Tindongo, Dagliga, and Zanlerigu basic schools
At the Kontintabig basic school for instance, all 60 pupils of Kindergarten (KG) One were sitting on the bare floor without a single piece of furniture.
With a population of 477 pupils at the primary school, 71 pupils in basic one had only eleven dual desks to share and 51 pupils in basic two used seven dual desks.
Who sits on a chair depends on how early a pupil reports to school and returns to class when break time is over.
Views from authorities
Ms Mary- Magdalene Wompakeah, the Nabdam District Education Director of the Ghana Education service, says the problem of furniture is not limited to classrooms but staff of the Education Directorate also had no chairs to sit on.
This admission by the Director therefore gives an idea of the magnitude of the problem of furniture in the district.
Apart from the furniture discrepancies, some of the schools are also in a deplorable state.
At the Dagliga Primary school for instance, there are visible cracks on walls of the windowless classrooms with parts of the plastering peeling off including a portion of the Chalkboard of basic one, which compelled the teacher to write on the remaining portion of it.
Effects
While studies have shown that sitting on the floor comes with some benefits including natural stability and increases flexibility and Mobility, it is imperative to note that the side effects of sitting on the floor for long hours as in the case of the pupils in these schools is dire.
Sitting on the floor for long hours as proven by studies gives rise to extra stress on one’s joints, reduces blood circulation, worsens postural issues due to poor sitting posture and exacerbates existing joint problems.
The outcome of these side effects on the pupil’s education is much more than one can imagine, as narrated by Mr Laar Miiban, the Head teacher of Gundork Primary school.
According to him, there is a vast difference between the performances of pupils having furniture to sit on and those sitting on the floor.
“In fact, the furniture situation is terribly bad, and it is having a negative impact on the pupils. Apart from the fact that it even drained their parents financially as they have to wash or change their uniforms regularly. Also, a clear analysis shows that pupils who sit on the floor tend to perform very poorly as compared to their colleagues with furniture.”
Human Right Abuse
Education is a fundamental human right. As enshrined in chapter five of the 1992 constitution of Ghana, all persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities with a view to achieving the full realization of that right.
By this, these pupils’ rights can be violated as the educational facilities at their disposal do not give them hope to view themselves attaining the full realization of their aspiration through education.
It also puts on hold the possibility of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal four (SDG4) by 2030 which seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.
When the phrase “quality education” is mentioned, it is often also referring to the availability of good infrastructure, furniture and an enabling environment aside the availability of competent teachers and textbooks.
Sadly, furniture and good infrastructure is one basic thing these schools in Nabdam cannot boast of, thereby subjecting pupils to undue suffering under inhumane conditions which they are compelled to cope with and compete with their colleagues in better places.
Responses from stakeholders
Ms Agnes Anamoo, the Nabdam District Chief Executive told the GNA that furniture inadequacy was a major challenge in the education sector of the District and the Assembly was making efforts to solve the menace.
According to her, the Dagliga Primary School was added to a GETFUND’s social intervention project to be renovated and was also to benefit from a Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) project.
The SOCO project is a multi- country US$450 million credit facility to be implemented in Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin with the aim to provide support to the Northern parts of the Gulf of Guinea Countries which suffer instabilities due to food insecurity, climate change, conflict and violence.
Conclusion and Recommendation
The development of every child starts from the foundation which encompasses mental preparedness and the unavailability of furniture as a necessity for learning poses a lot of threat to these children’s education.
While it may seem prudent to rely on external sources for support like the SOCO project mentioned by the DCE, it is worth emphasizing that the hope and aspirations of the innocent children should not be hinged on that only.
For the five schools mentioned, 700 dual desks and 80 hexagonal desks have been estimated by the Head Teachers of the schools as the furniture needed to help curb the menace.
It is therefore important that, Government, Non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders pay deliberate attention and devise strategies to help lift the children from the floor to give them some sense of hope mentally to aspire for their dreams.
It would also do the education sector of the district some good when the District Common fund of the Member of Parliament is used to restock the basic schools with furniture to enhance teaching and learning.
This, among other interventions targeted at creating an enabling environment for both teachers and students, would improve academic performance and help the country stand a better chance at achieving SDG4 by 2030 as targeted by the UN.
GNA