The Sissala East Municipal Assembly has presented 1,000 desks to the Municipal office of the Ghana Education Service (GES) for distribution to selected schools in the municipality to help address the acute furniture deficit.
The desks, funded from the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), were presented at a brief ceremony in Tumu.
Mr Bening Adamu Yakubu, Sissala East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said the intervention was necessitated by inadequate furniture for schoolchildren over the years, which had affected teaching and learning.
He said the 1,000 desks were procured from last year’s budget and disclosed that the Assembly would procure an additional 1,000 desks this year to further bridge the furniture gap.
Mr Yakubu appealed to the GES and school authorities to institute a positive maintenance culture to ensure the desks served their intended purpose for longer.
He further disclosed that the Assembly was constructing school blocks in Sumborun, Bakwala and Kulfuo Friwa, among other communities, to improve access to education.
The MCE assured that the Assembly would continue investing in education in the municipality.
Mr Godfred Beveru Kanton, Deputy Director of Education in charge of Administration and Finance, who represented the Municipal Director of Education, commended the MCE and Assembly for the donation.
He said the municipality had a pupil population of more than 12,000, but the current batch of desks would serve only 2,100 pupils, leaving a significant furniture deficit.
Mr Kanton said 43 schools would benefit from the donation, comprising 600 dual desks serving 1,200 pupils, 300 mono desks and 100 hexagonal desks serving 600 pupils.
He said the furniture would be allocated to schools with critical needs, with Standards-Based and School Improvement Officers (SISOs) tasked to lead the selection of beneficiary schools.
Mr Yakubu Mahama, School Management Committee (SMC) Chairman for Challu, said the donation would significantly improve the school’s furniture situation.
He, however, appealed to the Assembly to support Challu Basic School with cement to rebuild its old structure.
