The education advocacy group Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has called on the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Education to mandate a minimum one-year warranty on school desks procured for public basic schools.

Earlier this year, the government allocated about GHC600 million from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for the procurement of desks nationwide, part of an effort to address the country’s severe furniture deficit of around one million desks.

However, Eduwatch warned that some desks supplied under past programmes deteriorate within a year, undermining value for money and leaving thousands of pupils without adequate learning spaces.

“The supply of substandard desks increases recurrent spending and diminishes the quality of education,” the group said in a statement.

“A mandatory warranty will ensure suppliers take responsibility for product defects, motivate higher production standards, and extend the lifespan of school furniture.”

Eduwatch noted that countries such as South Africa, Kenya, and Rwanda require warranties on school furniture to guarantee quality, protect public funds, and improve accountability in the supply chain.