The problem is a particularly British one; while Britain's schools have spent more on ICT than virtually any other country, when it comes to desks and chairs our schools only spend £1 for every £6 spent in the typical west European country.
These figures were revealed following a meeting at the House of Commons of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Education, sponsored by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA).
As a result, while most of Europe is now fully compliant with the new EU directive (EN1729) on school furniture which insists that furniture is adjustable so as to accommodate the rise in the average size of children in recent years, only a handful of British schools meet this standard. This is one reason why back pain is so rife in this country.
One possible reason for the failure of schools to consider improving school furniture as a high priority spend is a legal loophole which means that schools have no obligation to provide safe desks and chairs for children.
While teachers are covered under the standard health and safety regulations that affect all employees, children are not covered because legally they are considered to be "visitors" to the school.
The Director General of BESA has indicated, however, that the time has come to challenge this interpretation of the law. He said, "new furniture must take account of the new standard or I would regard schools as being negligent, perhaps abusive."
"Schools should take note of the new EN1729 standards when purchasing classroom furniture. It is important that ergonomics are taken into account and the correct height relationship between seat and table considered. Not only will this aid the pupils' comfort but it may also lead to increased concentration levels," said Clare Hamilton of Morley's, the leading school furniture supplier that is taking steps to offer fully compliant products.
"Schools throughout Europe have adopted these standards in order to avoid back pain in children. I do think schools in the UK will need to review their school furniture buying and move quickly to meet this standard."
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