How School Facilities Improve A

Child’s School Experience

 BY ARCHIEVAL ANDREWS
 UNDER INDUSTRY NEWS

 OCTOBER 28, 2019

 1:00 AM

Regardless of the country, good school facilities help determine the success of students and the

effectiveness of a teacher’s lesson. However, with tight budgets and staff costs, the condition of school

facilities is often further down the list of priorities.

Studies show that school facilities have an impact on the overall school experience of students and

teachers. According to an article by PennState University, school facilities affect teacher recruitment and

retention. More importantly, they also affect the health, behaviour and engagement of the students. Thus,

adequate facilities make it easier for the school to deliver better education.

Many parents often do not consider the quality of school facilities as a factor in choosing a school for their

children, looking only at exam rates. Good equipment and facilities are part of a school’s holistic approach

to improving the learning environment and balancing academics with other important non-curriculum

activities, whether science lab facilities or sports equipment. When a school invests in facilities, the

benefits to the school go far beyond the initial capital costs.

Helps improve environmental conditions
School facilities improve the quality of the study environment in the school, thus improving the quality of

education. For example, if the classroom layout considers the room’s acoustics, then the students will be

able to focus and concentrate more on their studies with teachers facing fewer distractions.

Schools can also better utilise outdoor space by installing outdoor canopies or waiting sheds so students

can hang out during breaks, whatever the weather. This provides the opportunity to relax outside the

classroom and allows them to refresh and refocus when returning to lessons.
The classroom lighting also affects students’ performance. Studies found natural light helps boost their

morale and motivation, with long periods in artificial lighting negatively affecting students’ concentration.

Facilities should depend on the school size

Schools with a bigger school population often result in a larger staff to student ration. One concern is that

slower learners or students requiring learning support are more likely to be missed by teaching staff and

counsellors. Smaller schools often have better rates of attendance, extracurricular engagement and a

sense of belonging among its students because teachers are able to focus their attention more on the

limited numbers.

In addition, overcrowded classrooms have been linked to aggression and decreased levels of student

engagement, thus lowering the quality and level of learning.

Quality of school facilities

The quality of school facilities affects students in two ways. Firstly, a lack of facilities limits the ability of a

student to achieve various learning and extra curricula activities. Secondly, a lack of facilities has a

negative impact on a teachers’ job satisfaction, which undermines their motivation to teach.

Deeper focus in education

Although maintaining and modernising a school’s facilities have always been a balancing act with other

school expenses, more studies are beginning to highlight the full impact of a well-equipped learning

environment. In turn, school governors and heads have a clearer understanding of the benefits and are

giving more attention to the issue.

With the will of the school managers, and the continuing improvements and innovations of school

facilities, the learning environment is more interactive and conducive. With good facilities, teachers will be

better prepared to adapt to the changing education requirements of their students for the job market.

The Author

Archieval Andrews