The author

St. James Junior High School (JHS) is a public school located in Area Four, Sunyani, in the Bono Region. The school operates in a storey building painted white and brown, comprising six classrooms, about 15 teachers and approximately 300 students.

Although the school faces several challenges, two of the most pressing concerns are the lack of a library and a food laboratory. These facilities, if provided, would significantly improve teaching and learning and help students develop important academic and practical skills.

The need for a library
To begin with, St. James JHS lacks a library. A library is a facility that provides books and other learning materials for students and teachers to read, research and improve their knowledge and skills.

A library is one of the most important facilities every school should have because it provides students with opportunities to read beyond what they learn in the classroom. It also encourages research, improves reading and writing skills, develops vocabulary and promotes independent learning.

There are several reasons why St. James JHS needs a library.

During break time, for instance, some students spend their free time roaming around the school grounds after eating, rather than engaging in productive activities. If the school had a library, students could use their break periods to read books and develop their reading, writing, spelling and speaking skills. Regular reading could also broaden their knowledge, make them more open-minded and contribute to their overall educational development.

The library would also be useful after school. Some students remain on the school premises for a long time while waiting for their parents, guardians or drivers to pick them up. If there were a library, these students could spend the waiting period reading books or doing their homework instead of roaming around and engaging in inappropriate behaviour.

How the lack of a library affects students

The absence of a library means that students have limited access to books and other learning materials outside the classroom. It also leaves some students with little productive activity during their free time, resulting in unnecessary roaming and, in some cases, misbehaviour.

More importantly, the lack of a library can affect students’ academic development because they have fewer opportunities to conduct research, read widely and reinforce what they learn in class.

I therefore appeal to the government, school authorities and other stakeholders to help provide a library for St. James JHS to support students’ academic development.

Food laboratory
Another major challenge facing the school is the lack of a food laboratory.

A school food laboratory is a facility where students, particularly those studying Home Economics, can learn and practise food preparation and cooking skills.

The provision of a food laboratory would make it easier for students to understand practical aspects of their Home Economics lessons. Some topics are difficult to fully understand through theory alone because they require practical demonstrations and hands-on experience.

With a food laboratory, students would have the opportunity to practise what they learn in class and develop their practical skills. This would make lessons more interesting and easier to understand.

Furthermore, a food laboratory would enable students to learn how to prepare different types of food, including both traditional Ghanaian dishes and foreign dishes. The practical skills acquired could also help students become self-reliant in the future by enabling them to establish businesses related to food preparation and catering.

I therefore appeal to the government, school authorities and other stakeholders to help construct a food laboratory for St. James JHS so that students can acquire the practical skills they need for their future.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the lack of a library and a food laboratory poses challenges to effective teaching and learning at St. James JHS. Providing these facilities would not only improve the school environment but also give students better opportunities to develop their academic, reading and practical skills.

I would be very grateful if the government, school authorities, parents, community members and other stakeholders could support efforts to provide these facilities and help create a better learning environment for students at St. James JHS.

(The author is a 14-year-old pupil of St. James JHS in Sunyani and a Citizen Journalist)