DONATION FOR DESKS CHANGES LEARNER'S FUTURE IN GHANA

Introduction

Hello from Okere School Management Committee (SMC) Federation A.

We are a group of 15 schools in Okere District, Eastern Region in Ghana with pupils population of 2,991. We are working together to address common challenges to provide a better education for our children.

Until now, the 15 schools have collaborated with the communities in addressing educational challenges, and carried out several activities such as construction of classrooms and purchase of education materials. However, the economic crisis that hit the country Ghana last year has affected our plans to improve our schools, and thus our children’s education. Prices of school items and furniture have skyrocketed, making it increasingly difficult to equip schools with proper materials. Contributions come from the community, but the amount is limited because families are also suffering financially.

Challenge1: Desks for pupils

Desks are indispensable school furniture, but they are insufficient and mostly in bad condition. Due to the shortage of desks, learners need to sit together in pairs or triplet with other learners during contact hours, so they feel cramped; even opening a notebook or writing is difficult. The quality of desks and chairs is also deteriorating, as schools cannot afford to buy new ones. Under these circumstances, children still have their dreams and wish to learn.

Precious, whose favorite subject is mathematics and aspires to be a bank manager, may have to put her dreams on hold for a while due to the unconducive educational environment she finds herself in. She wishes she and her friends could be helped through the provision of desks which will aid in creating a more conducive teaching and learning environment.

Challenge 2: Table and chairs for teachers

Tables and chairs for teachers are also lacking in the 15 schools under the SMC Federation. Teachers in these schools resorts in sitting on a locally constructed bamboo bench outside during recess.

A teacher said, “We wish we could have proper writing desks and chairs. It is hard to mark student’s work on my lap. I have no choice but to leave my books on this bench, so they get sun-burnt. If it rains, we will evacuate to the eaves. Of course, students’ desks are the top priority, so the furniture for the teachers ends up looking like this.”

What the school needs

The 15 schools want to have new writing desks and chairs for learners and teachers.

The breakdown is as follows.

●15 schools X 10 new learners’ desks per school = 150 desks in total 150 desks X 300 GHC per piece = 45,000 GHC = About 3,560 USD 

●15 schools X 4 sets of writing desks and chairs for teachers per school = 60 sets of desks and chairs in total 

60 sets X 300 GHC per set = 18,000 GHC = About 1,420 USD

Total About 4,980 USD

Your assistance will benefit 2,991 learners and 127 teachers in the 15 schools, improving the quality of teaching and learning in these schools.

Others

SMC Federations have been established as one of the interventions of the Project for Improving Learning Outcomes through Community Participation for Sustainable School for All (COMPASS Project), which is being implemented with technical assistance from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). SMC Federations facilitate collective actions for the development of education at the local level.