Tamale: The Net Organisation for Youth Empowerment and Development (NOYED Ghana), an NGO, has presented 200 pieces of metallic and wooden desks valued at GHS140,000 to three deprived basic schools in the Tamale Metropolis, aiming to improve teaching and learning outcomes.
According to Ghana News Agency, the beneficiary schools included Kakpagyili Taskif Islamic Primary School, which received 80 desks, and Datoyili T.I. and Burhaniya Primary schools, which received 80 and 40 desks respectively. This initiative is part of the Fit Facilities for Basic Schools project, implemented by NOYED Ghana with funding support from Wood and BBS Ghana Limited.
Mr. Zulka Sulemana, the Project Officer at NOYED Ghana, stated during the presentation that the donation aims to address infrastructural challenges in schools, particularly the acute shortage of furniture in basic schools across the Northern Region. He referenced data from the Education Management Information System (EMIS), indicating a deficit of more than one million desks, with over 5,000 schools still operating under trees, sheds, and dilapidated structures.
Mr. Sulemana emphasized that inadequate furniture continues to undermine quality education and contributes to poor learning outcomes. He pointed out that while the government has made efforts, the gap remains significant compared to the scale of the problem. The donation targets schools with urgent needs to improve learning environments, promote school attendance and retention, and enhance performance, especially in underserved areas.
Mr. Emmanuel Quaye, the Project Engineer of Wood and BBS Ghana Limited, remarked that the initiative extends beyond providing furniture, describing it as an investment in the future of learners to enable them to reach their full potential. He encouraged the pupils to study hard and become responsible citizens to contribute to national development.
Mr. Konlan Nelson, the Tamale Metropolitan Director of Education, described the donation as timely, noting that it would help reduce the burden of the furniture deficit in schools. He urged school authorities to take good care of the items to maintain their durability and appealed to other benevolent organizations and individuals to support educational infrastructure development in the area.
Mr. Abdul Razak Abubakari, the Assistant Headteacher of Kakpagyili Taskif Islamic Primary, expressed gratitude to NOYED Ghana and its partners for the intervention and pledged that the school would maintain the furniture to serve its intended purpose. Some pupils, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency after receiving the desks, expressed excitement and gratitude, promising to work hard to justify the investment in their education.