School converts library to classroom due to lack of space

 By ZACHERY PER
AN UNPRECEDENTED influx of students at one of the biggest primary schools in Eastern Highlands has forced it to convert its library into a classroom.
The spacing problem has forced teachers to cater for more than 60 students in a class that exceeds the 1:45 teacher-student ratio.
This compromised the quality of education delivered, according to the head teacher of West Goroka Primary School, Tony Koyangko.
“We are forced to have six streams of Grade 3 to 8 and we have converted our only school library and a senior teacher’s office into classrooms,” he said.
Koyangko said each class was encouraged to set up its own library inside its respective classroom to encourage reading.
“We are encouraging for classroom-library but have run out of books so I am calling for donation of library books from interested individuals and organisations,” he said.
He said the first call was for parents and their children to at donate at least one or two books.
West Goroka Primary School has 1,779 students with six streams of classes for each grade, according to Koyangko.
Students in most classes sat three to a desk.