Bakpaba M/A Primary School in the Nanumba North Municipality of the Northern Region has received 100 dual desks to ensure that all pupils have furniture to sit on during lessons.
The furniture was donated by Federated Commodities Limited (FEDCO), a leading indigenous licensed cocoa buying company.
FEDCO’s gesture followed media reports early this year, which were sponsored by School for Life, an NGO, drawing attention of the public to the lack of furniture at the school, a situation, which compelled pupils to lie on the floor for lessons.
Prior to FEDCO’s gesture, the Nanumba North Municipal Assembly, with support from the Ministry of Education, also presented 100 dual desks to the school.
This means that all the 455 pupils of the school now have furniture to sit on during classes.
Mr Bernard Agyeman, and Mr Franklin Owusu Duku, Cooperative Manager, and Administrative Manager respectively at FEDCO, handed over the dual desks to the authorities of the school at a brief ceremony at Bakpaba, attended by parents, opinion leaders of the area, duty-bearers, and pupils, who were all full of joy for the gesture.
Mr Agyeman, speaking after handing over the desks to the authorities, said FEDCO did not renege on corporate social responsibility, adding that it undertook several activities including building schools to improve the lives of the people.
He added that ‘So, when we heard about the furniture situation of the school, we felt it was necessary to solve it once and for all.’
He said sitting on furniture during classes was not only necessary for improved academic performance but also good for the health of pupils, hence the gesture.
Mr Abdul Fatawu Dawudu, Assistant Director in-charge of Administration at the Nanumba North Municipal Assembly, who represented the Municipal Chief Executive, expressed delight at the gesture and thanked FEDCO and School for Life for helping to solve the lack of furniture situation at the school.
He said the Assembly was working to supply 300 dual desks to schools every year to ameliorate the situation.
He said to address the lack of furniture situation in the municipality, all new schools being constructed would have dual desks as part of the contract package.
He said the Assembly needed an additional 50,000 dual desks to solve the lack of furniture situation at all schools within its jurisdiction and appealed to organisations to support it in this endeavour.
Mr Musah Abdul-Rahaman, Deputy Director, Finance and Administration, Nanumba North Municipal Directorate of Education, who represented the Municipal Director of Education, expressed gratitude to FEDCO for the support.
He thanked School for Life for the role it played leading to the gesture and appealed to the community to take good care of the furniture.
Source: Ghana News Agency