Policy Brief Promoting Mono desk Usage in Basic Schools in Ghana
Introduction: Education is recognized in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Ghana’s constitution as both a fundamental human right and an enabling right that is central to the realization of the whole Agenda 2030. The SDG 4 which is to ‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’, is being hampered by inadequate infrastructure for example at the basic education level. In most basic schools across Northern Region, students have a desk mate, thus they share a desk with their colleagues and sit just a few distance from each other. This approach is observed to be contributing to crowded classrooms where movement, effective classroom management and independent learning is almost impossible. The use of dual desks in Ghanaian basic schools’ dates back to the government's efforts to manage the spurge of enrolment and population growth amidst low investments in school infrastructure including furniture at the basic level. As part of efforts to accommodate those increasing number of pupils in classrooms, governments adopted the development of the dual desks which can serve many students within a small space. This practice of dual desk usage is limited only to basic schools while second cycle institutions enjoy the use of mono desk raising issues of equity in school infrastructure in the Country. This policy brief therefore makes two distinct contributions to the formulation of a mono desk policy in furtherance of the Inclusive Education Policy, Ghana’s Education Strategic Plan (ESP) and the SDG 4 with facilitation and support from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GET Fund), the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service and the Local Government Ministry as follows: 1. promote quality of supply of school infrastructure to the deprived areas of the country 2. promote an enabling environment for a healthy, competitive and independent learning at the basic level
About YEFL – Ghana and the Mono Desk Campaign: YEFL-Ghana is a vibrant youth focused and youth led organization, focused and dedicated to empowering youth economically, socially and politically to lead the desired change in themselves and the community at large. With the vision of Youth Leading Change, YEFL – Ghana has been working strategically to empower the youth networks in the various districts in the north culminating into the Regional Youth Network which has transformed into an accountability group with focus on promoting the delivery of quality education at the basic and second cycle levels and pushing for youth representation in decision – making platforms at all levels. The Northern Regional Coordinating Council has been a keen stakeholder in this campaign and the general promotion of quality education in the region. It has thus engaged all Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the region to begin considering the shift from the production of YEFL-GHANA, Naa Luro Estate, BLK B KR 56, Tamale Tel +233243252844 info@yeflghana.org www.yeflghana.org