Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, June 14: Just as textbooks are indispensable for schoolchildren’s learning, an enabling classroom environment and adequate supporting infrastructure are equally vital for quality education, education stakeholders have stressed.
Facilities such as well-equipped classrooms, proper lighting and ventilation, safe buildings, and adequate desks and benches are key components of effective learning. However, in most government schools across Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, students continue to sit on old, worn-out and decades-old desk-bench sets.
The demand for new furniture has far outstripped supply. While requirements run into thousands, only a fraction has been supplied so far. It is estimated that over 5,000 desk-bench sets are required across both districts, whereas only around 100 to 150 units have been provided.
Udupi district has about 650 government schools, while Dakshina Kannada has over 1,050 government schools, with thousands of students enrolled. The shortage of basic furniture is worsening day by day, directly affecting classroom learning conditions.
Earlier, wooden desks and separate benches were commonly used, with four to five students sharing a bench. Under the present education system, modern integrated desk-bench units designed for three students each are the standard. These units, made of wood and iron, have become the norm. However, such modern furniture has not yet fully reached most government schools.
Although every school is expected to have adequate desks and benches in proportion to student strength, many institutions continue to function with broken, unstable or unusable furniture, forcing children to sit in difficult conditions during lessons.
While government funding is being provided for construction of new school buildings, officials point out that there is no separate allocation for furniture after completion. As a result, even newly constructed classrooms remain unused in some cases due to lack of basic facilities. Many schools are therefore compelled to depend on local donors to bridge critical infrastructure gaps.
Demand far exceeds supply
The demand for desks and benches remains significant. In Udupi district alone, around 2,144 sets are required for primary schools and 649 for high schools. In Dakshina Kannada, approximately 2,600 sets are needed for primary schools and 1,200 for high schools, as per submissions made to the central office.
For the 2025–26 financial year, limited allocations have been sanctioned for select schools. These include 14 sets for 10 schools in Byndoor educational block, one set for a school in Karkala, 15 sets for two schools in Kundapura, 31 sets for 23 schools in Belthangady, two sets for two schools in Moodbidri, six sets for six schools in Puttur, and 16 sets for five schools in Sullia.
Calls for urgent policy attention
Education stakeholders have urged the government to prioritise supply of essential furniture alongside school infrastructure development. They emphasise that construction of buildings alone is not sufficient, and adequate provision of desks and benches must be ensured.
They have also called for a separate budget allocation for furniture at the time of sanctioning new school buildings, warning that otherwise newly constructed classrooms risk remaining underutilised. The immediate demand, they said, is to urgently bridge this widening gap and improve learning conditions for students across both districts.