The Ministry of Education has distributed 24,000 furniture to basic schools across the country as part of measures being undertaking by the sector to mitigate the challenges facing the schools.
The supply of the furniture was aimed at schools which did not benefit from the earlier supplies or schools which would face emergency situations that might arise in the course of time.
At a symbolic presentation of the furniture by the Deputy Minister in charge of Pre-Tertiary education, Honourable Alex Kyeremeh in Accra to the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, the latter said most of the regions have already received their consignments.
He gave the breakdown of the distribution as the Upper West, Upper East, Northern and Volta Regions have received 3,000 furniture each, while Ashanti, Greater Accra, Eastern, Western, Brong Ahafo and Central Regions have each received 2,000 pieces of furniture.
Hon. Kyeremeh explained that between 2002/03 and 2013/14, gross enrolment rates at the Kindergarten (KG), primary and Junior High Schools increased from 49 to 123, 76 to 107.3 and 63 to 82 respectively.
He attributed it to concerted efforts by successive governments’ social intervention programmes in the form of supply of school uniforms, sandals, provision of capitation grants, school feeding among others.
According to him, in September last year, the Ministry made a similar presentation of 17,178 metal beds, 24,597 dual desks, 21,719 tables and chairs to the Senior High Schools, 6,305 teachers tables and chairs, 1,872 KG tables and chairs and 225 dining hall chairs ahead of the 2015/16 academic year.
He urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors of Education to keep good maintenance of the furniture for longer use.

Hon. Afotey Agbo, receiving the furniture on behalf of the Greater Accra Region, thanked President Mahama and the Government for the quick respond to the needs of the schools.

He said as the regional Minister some school heads appealled to him for help in the provision of school logistics and the gesture would go a long way to meet the needs of the schools.

The Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, Mr.Peter Attafuah, was grateful to the Government for the furniture, saying the provision of the furniture would impact on effective teaching and learning.