Primary three pupils of the Gushegu M/A Primary School in the Northern Region, who are 161 in number, are all crammed in a classroom relatively smaller than the class size.
Aside being massed in the classroom, the pupils do not have enough seats leaving four and more of them sharing a desk while others sit on the bare floor.
? ? ?This came to light when a media team visited the school to monitor its furniture situation.?
? ? ?The desks in the class were arranged very close to each other making free movement in the unventilated classroom impossible.?
? ? ?The classroom was filled so much that some of the pupils sat on the floor very close to the black board leaving little space for entry.??
? ? ?Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) recommended standard class size is 35 pupils per class.
? ? ?During the visit, the pupils were seeing sweating during lesson as the weather was hot.
? ? ?Mr Abdul Razak Abdulai, Primary Three Class Teacher at the school, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, s
aid it was frustrating handling a class of 161 pupils saying he wished the number were lower to ease the stress on him and the children.?
? ? ?He said ‘The weather is hot, and the children are always sweating. They are not comfortable to learn.’
? ? ?He lamented about the inadequate furniture situation of the school saying it compelled the pupils to sit on the floor describing it as terrible.
? ? ?Mr Abdulai said the situation needed immediate intervention appealing for more structures and furniture for the school.
? ? ?The Ghana News Agency spoke with a Clinical Psychologist on the impact of the congestion on pupils’ learning abilities.?
? ? ?Mr Peter Amadu Mintir, Clinical Psychologist at Total Life Enhancement Centre, said overcrowding in an educational environment could lead to increased stress, anxiety, and the feeling of helplessness.
? ? ?He said the pupils’ ability to concentrate could be reduced during lessons and level of frustration heightened.?
? ? ?He stated that the learning outcomes of t
he class three pupils could be impaired because some pupils, who might need extra attention, would not be identified by the teacher due to the large class size.
? ? ?He said, ‘An overcrowded classroom can create discomfort that will impede the ability of individuals to achieve optimal learning outcome.’
? ? ?Mr Mintir added that there might be reduced individualised attention among the pupils, which could further deter them from retaining information.
Source: Ghana News Agency
