Acute furniture shortage hits Onwe SHS

A dire shortage of classroom furniture is crippling academic life at Onwe Senior High School in the Ejisu Municipality, as scores of students are forced to stand for hours during lessons due to the unavailability of chairs and tables.
With a student population of 610, only about 380 students currently have access to seating and desks, leaving at least 230 students without the most basic tools for learning.
The situation is particularly affecting first-year students, many of whom endure standing through multiple classes every day.

Students turn truant amid discomfort
Teachers and school authorities have expressed growing concern that the lack of furniture is not only undermining learning but also leading to a rise in truancy.
Some students have begun skipping classes entirely, unable to bear the discomfort of standing through lessons.
“Some students simply don’t show up, they feel discouraged,” a school official revealed.

First-year students are especially vulnerable.
Many fear taking available chairs for fear of confrontation with senior students who may demand them back.
This has created a tense and demoralising environment for the younger learners.

Appeal for urgent intervention
School administrators are urgently calling for public, private, and government support to address the problem.
The school requires at least 230 chairs and tables to bring every student up to the minimum standard of comfort required for effective learning.
The Assistant Headmistress in charge of Academics is herself without a proper chair and desk—further highlighting the extent of the school’s logistical constraints.

Learning tools also in short supply
Beyond furniture, the school is also in need of essential teaching tools.
Projectors, computers, and mathematical sets for teacher use are in not available, limiting the use of visual aids and practical learning approaches in subjects such as mathematics, science, and ICT.
The absence of these materials is putting both students and teachers at a disadvantage and further widening the learning gap between Onwe SHS and better-resourced schools across the region.

Call to Action
As Ghana pushes for improved educational outcomes, the story of Onwe Senior High School is a stark reminder of the infrastructural challenges many public schools still face.
The school is appealing to the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service, philanthropic organizations, NGOs, old students, and individuals of goodwill to come to their aid.
Providing furniture and teaching tools, staff say, would not just restore dignity to the learning process but could also keep more students in school and improve academic performance.
For now, however, the students of Onwe SHS continue to stand—not just for lack of chairs, but in hope that help will soon come.