The Techiman Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Kwaku Adjei Mensah, has handed over 450 sets of furniture to six selected Senior High Schools in the Techiman Municipality to help address furniture shortages in the schools.
The furniture, which comprises mono desks, is expected to improve teaching and learning conditions in the beneficiary schools and ease the pressure on existing classroom furniture.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Hon. Kwaku Adjei Mensah urged heads of the beneficiary schools to take proper care of the furniture and ensure regular maintenance to prolong its lifespan.
“I will encourage the headteachers of the beneficiary schools to take key interest in maintenance of these furniture. I quite remember from time back we were using wood and the wood were not lasting at all. That’s why the ministry took it upon themselves that even this procurement, everything were done in Accra. Those of us here have no hands in the processes; we were just facilitating it,” he said.
The MCE said feedback from teachers and headteachers suggested that the newly supplied furniture was of good quality, stressing the need for school authorities to protect the items from damage.
“When we came, I was taking notice of the comments being passed by the various teachers and headteachers. They were saying the furniture are of good quality, so if it is quality, I am also expecting my teachers to take key interest in the maintenance of these tables and chairs because the amount of money government always spends on procuring furniture for schools is huge,” Hon. Kwaku Adjei Mensah stated.
According to him, an additional 400 pieces of furniture would be distributed to selected basic schools in the municipality, bringing the total number of furniture sets to be provided to schools to 850. He explained that the furniture distribution was based on a list prepared by the Municipal Education Directorate, with priority given to schools in deprived areas as well as schools that had received new classroom infrastructure.
“The Director has come out with a list of some selected schools, mostly from deprived areas, and other ones are those we have provided them with new infrastructure, that’s classroom. The total is 400. Maybe next week when we are giving it out, the media may not be around, so you capture it among the monodesks that we are giving to the Senior High School which is 450, and this one for the Basic Schools is 400, making it 850 in total,” he said.
The Techiman Municipal Director of Education, Isaac Amankwah, speaking on behalf of the Ghana Education Service in the Techiman Directorate, expressed appreciation to the Municipal Chief Executive for the intervention.
He described furniture shortage as one of the major challenges confronting schools in the municipality and said the latest intervention would significantly reduce the problem.
“On behalf of the Ghana Education Service in Techiman Directorate in particular, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation to you for the generous donation of 450 sets of furniture to six selected Senior High Schools.
“One of our major challenges in the municipality is furniture situation for classrooms. By your help, we have enough. Even though Oliver Trace was so asked for more,” he stated.
The Director further stressed the importance of furniture to effective teaching and learning, while appealing for additional support for schools that had not yet benefited from the intervention.
“Furniture is a critical need of our schools. These 450 pieces will go a long way to lessen the challenges confronting us. We pray you receive more commitment so those who are still on the waiting list will also be considered,” he said.
He assured the Municipal Assembly that the Ghana Education Service would take good care of the furniture supplied to the schools.
“I want to assure you that my house will take good care of this particular material given to us,” he added.
The intervention is expected to contribute to improving the learning environment in the beneficiary schools while reducing the pressure created by inadequate classroom furniture in the Techiman Municipality.
Source: Newspyramid.com
