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

The call follows the government’s allocation of about GHC600 million from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) earlier this year for the nationwide procurement of desks aimed at reducing the country’s estimated one-million–desk deficit.

Eduwatch cautioned, however, that desks supplied under previous procurement programmes often deteriorate within a year, resulting in wasted resources and leaving many pupils without proper seating.

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

It added that a mandatory warranty would compel suppliers to take responsibility for defects, encourage higher production standards and extend the lifespan of school furniture.

Eduwatch also noted that countries such as South Africa, Kenya, and Rwanda already enforce warranties on school furniture to safeguard public funds and ensure accountability in the supply chain.

The group called on both Ministries to issue clear procurement directives requiring District Assemblies to include warranty clauses before awarding contracts.

Eduwatch reaffirmed its commitment to supporting reforms that ensure safe, durable and cost-effective learning environments for Ghanaian children.