By Our Reporters

Parents and their wards in  Lagos public secondary schools are daily groaning under the acute shortage  of basic furniture in the schools. Some affected students say they either sit on bare floor,  windows or stand during lessons.

When Vanguard visited some of the affected schools, the sign of stained trousers and skirts showed that the students were sitting on bare floor in their classrooms. Early in the year, Governor Fashola awarded the construction of several block of classrooms to different contractors, aimed at increasing the number of classrooms.

But according to reports there was no complementary awards for supply of furniture.

*Students of Ajangbadi Junior High School, Iba

The United Nation Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, while explaining the importance of furniture in schools said; “Furniture is an integral component of providing an appropriate learning environment.”

On the health implication

of lack of furniture, the organisation said: “Uncomfortable and unsuitable furniture can cause problems varying from backache to writing difficulties, thus reducing learning opportunity. When developing educational furniture, the size of the student, the educational function, availability and affordability of materials and the culture of the user have to be taken into consideration.”

A Junior Secondary School, JSS  student of Ikeja Grammar School, Oshodi Local Government, simply called Rasheed, lamented that there are no seats in their classes. Even those available in the 51-year-old school were already in state of disrepair.

State of disrepair

According to him, “when we resumed, there were no adequate furniture in the classes compared to our population. That was why those who gained admission early took the available furniture while those who came later, whose parents could afford furniture, bring theirs from home while indigent students sit on the floor.”

The story was the same for James Oluchukwu, a student of Ajangbadi High School, Iba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, who sits on the floor to take his classes.

Oluchukwu said; “we don’t have enough desks and benches in our classes. Those whose parents could afford to buy, brought  theirs from home. For me, my parents said they didn’t have the required N6, 000 for such.”

Miss Rofiat Ademola of Aganju Aka Junior Secondary School, Okokomaiko, Iba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, whose school was built less than four years ago, lamented that such scarcity should not have occurred in a school that is still a baby.

She noted that furniture should have been provided before the government gives the school approval to admit students.

Ademola said; “for our school, we were the first set and there wasn’t adequate furniture for us. In fact, I sat on the floor for one session before the state government distributed desks and benches to us.”

Mrs. Olateju Adekunle, a petty trader said: “I paid the furniture fabricator beside my house to provide desk and bench for my son when I discovered that whenever he returns from school, he looked dirty.”

Adekunle complained that the government was only busy erecting structures without providing adequate desks and benches for the students to aid their learning.

According to Mrs. Oby Solomon, “the government has successfully reduced the congestion in classes but has failed to supply required furniture which is an essential learning material.”