In its most recent report, the education policy think tank Africa Education Watch reported that 5.8 million students in Ghana's public basic schools do not have desks.
The number comprises 1.2 million students in Kindergarten (KG), 3.2 million in primary school, and 1.4 million in junior high schools, according to Africa Educational Watch (JHS).
In its notice, the think tank cited statistics from the Ministry of Education that showed that 1.28 million students in primary schools and roughly 596,000 KG students—representing half of the country's KG population—would not have desks in their classrooms by 2021.
Another 425,000 students, or 30% of JHS students, were listed as without writing areas; "this takes the total number of public basic school kids without desks to nearly 2.3 million," it was stated.
In the most underserved areas of the school system, including Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Bono East, and Oti, it was said that the desk situation is worse at the primary level.
According to the report, the Northern Region is in the lead with 213,252 public primary school students who do not have desks, followed by Upper East (118,340) and Bono East (86,074).
In all, 638,008 students, or 61 percent, of public primary school students in Ghana's seven impoverished districts lack desks, according to the report.
While the number of public primary school students without desks is greater than the national average of 40% in all seven areas, the North East Region leads with a maximum of 80% of primary school students without desks.
It said that the Upper East, Bono East, and Savanna areas all recorded 60% while the Northern Region came in second with 70%.
Students are compelled to write in uncomfortable postures during class, which has an effect on their learning, penmanship, and health, claims EduWatch.
According to the Education think tank, a recent survey indicated that 25% of pupils sat on the floor in chosen schools in the Zabzugu District while writing on their laps in sampled schools in the Nkwanta South Municipality.
According to EduWatch, Ghana's primary schools urgently require 600,000 KG chairs, 150,000 KG tables, and 800,000 dual desks.
This is expected to cost between 330 and 350 million Ghana cedis, which is about equal to the amount that the Ghanaian government spends on the free SHS in just six weeks.
The think tank attributed this to inadequate funding for the infrastructure necessary for basic education, which shows itself in the building of schools without a sufficient amount of furniture or in the disappearance of schools and furniture in some localities.
"Ghana's primary source of funding for educational facilities is the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).
According to EduWatch, "GETFund spending on basic education has been steadily declining in recent years, with just 16 percent of the infrastructure expenditure budget for GETFund allotted to basic education in 2022, and secondary education receiving roughly 44 percent."
It recommended the government to explore creative, inclusive decentralised options that were cost-effective as an alternative to the standard public procurement process for supplying desks, which has demonstrably failed to adequately address the issue.
A coordinated strategy approach encompassing corporate Ghana, local governments, religious organisations, traditional authority, civic society, and the Forestry Commission has been requested by the Ministry of Education in the interim.
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