Pupils of Lungbung Yizegu D/A Primary cry for furniture, classrooms
Inadequate furniture and classrooms have compelled pupils of the Lungbung Yizegu D/A Primary School in the Tolon District in the Northern Region to sit on bare floors during lessons.
The situation, which has persisted for years, has created uncomfortable learning conditions, with four pupils forced to squeeze onto desks designed for two, while others have no option but to sit on the ground.
The school, which serves about 365 pupils from kindergarten to Primary Six, is also grappling with inadequate classrooms. The pupils have been jam-packed in the few existing classrooms, which is adversely affecting teaching and learning.
When the Daily Graphic recently visited the school, it observed that due to inadequate classrooms, pupils of two different classes have been combined in a single room, compelling teachers to handle multiple levels simultaneously.
This arrangement, according to the school authorities, is affecting lesson delivery, as some pupils are left waiting or exposed to lessons not suited to their academic level.
In addition to the infrastructure challenges, many pupils attend school without proper uniforms due to financial difficulties faced by their families.
Pupils’ concerns
Some pupils who spoke to the Daily Graphic said the situation was affecting their concentration and academic performance.
The only existing 3-unit classroom block serving KG 1 to primary 6
One of them, Abass Sibdow, said sitting on the floor during lessons makes learning uncomfortable.
“We easily get tired and sometimes feel sleepy during lessons because sitting on the floor is not comfortable. It also makes our uniforms dirty, and we have to wash them several times a week,” he said.
Another pupil, Napari Musah, said the conditions had discouraged some parents from keeping their children in school.
According to him, some of his colleagues had dropped out of school to support their parents on the farm because the school was not conducive to learning.
“We also feel less confident when we do not have proper uniforms like our colleagues,” he added.
Community efforts
The Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Wumbei Dawuni, said several appeals to the Tolon District Assembly for support had not yielded any results.
Aside from the inadequate furniture and classrooms, he indicated that the teachers were also lacking decent accommodation.
For his part, the Assembly Member for the area, Abubakari Zakaria, acknowledged the challenges and said although the District Chief Executive (DCE) had assured him of support with furniture, there were competing demands from other communities.
Challenges
In an interview, the Tolon District Director of Education, Alhassan Sumani, confirmed that many schools in the district faced similar challenges. He, however, could not give an exact figure of schools facing similar challenges in the district.
He explained that while the Ghana Education Service (GES) depended on central government support for infrastructure, the service was also reaching out to benevolent organisations for support to address the situation.
Responding to the cry of the pupils, the District Chief Executive for Tolon, Braimah Seidu, gave an assurance that urgent steps were being taken to address it.
He said the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) had assured the district of the supply of about 1,000 dual and mono desks to support schools in need.
SDG 4 concerns
The prevailing conditions at Lungbung Yizegu D/A primary school highlight the challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goal Four, which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
It is therefore imperative for authorities to improve infrastructure and learning conditions in the school to help enhance learning outcomes.
