Students of the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District in the Savannah Region of Ghana are facing challenging conditions in their quest for education, as they are forced to study on cement blocks due to inadequate furniture in their classrooms.
A video circulating on social media shows students of the local school sitting on cement blocks, using them as makeshift desks while writing notes and engaging in learning activities.
The lack of proper desks and chairs has been a longstanding issue in many schools across Ghana, depriving students of a conducive learning environment. The situation not only affects their comfort but also their concentration and overall academic performance.
On the subject, Member of Parliament for the Old Tafo constituency, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has emphasized his belief that it is better for students to study under trees without the necessary infrastructure than to go without formal education.
This statement was made as he strongly defended the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, asserting that it should not be subjected to a review. Mr Assafuah expressed this viewpoint during an interview on CitiTV’s Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda Amadu.
“For me, it is better for a young person to sit on the floor without a desk to learn rather than not being educated. It is better for a young person to go to school without a slipper and be educated than not being educated at all,” he said.
This statement comes in response to recent calls for a review of the Free SHS policy. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, has also opposed these calls, asserting that the policy does not require any revision.
Mr Assafuah acknowledged challenges in the education sector but maintained that reviewing the policy is not the solution. He emphasized the need for collective leadership support for the policy, underscoring that despite challenges, students are receiving education, which he deems crucial.
Assafuah stressed the importance of providing education for the future generation and urged all Ghanaians to collaborate in addressing challenges instead of advocating for a review of the Free SHS policy.
Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has disclosed that the government needs to build an additional 5,000 additional school blocks to achieve parity in the provision of educational infrastructure for basic education in the country.