Furniture deficit has exceeded 6,000 in basic schools in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region, Mr Timothy Yuornuo, the District Director of Education, has said.

He said the deficit was huge across all levels of basic education, which was adversely affecting the academic performance of pupils.

“The furniture deficit in the District is so huge, we have over 6,000 furniture deficit-cutting across the three basic school levels, that is, Kindergarten, Primary and Junior High Schools,” he said.

Mr Yuornuo disclosed this when Madam Agnes Anamoo, the District Chief Executive, presented 240 pieces of dual desks and 280 mono desks to selected schools in the District.

Despite the furniture challenges, coupled with poor infrastructure in some schools, the District last year improved upon its performance at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), he said.

Mr Yuornuo said it recorded 31 per cent success in 2019 as against 18.3 per cent in 2018.

He commended the Assembly for providing the furniture saying it would go a long way to boost teaching and learning.

He appealed to other Non-Governmental Organizations and philanthropists to augment the government’s efforts and assist schools in the area with furniture and other infrastructure to enhance academic work.

Government recently gave the Directorate a new pick up and five motorbikes for circuit supervisors to aid monitoring and supervision, Mr Yuornuo said.

The guidance and counselling units of the schools would speak to candidates to make them appreciate the need to be punctual and take their studies seriously, he said.

Madam Anamoo indicated that the furniture was procured through the District Development Facility and the Assembly was in the process of procuring more furniture to help solve the furniture deficit.

She said education was key to the total development of the people and all efforts would be channelled to addressing the challenges in the sector, she said.