Takoradi, Jan. 20, GNA - Thirty-four Primary, Junior and Secondary High School (JHS) teachers and non-teaching staff of

the Ghana Education Service (GES), were on Tuesday presented with awards at the 2009 Western Regional Best Teacher/Worker Award

Presentation Day at Fijai near Takoradi. Miss Annie Migbadze of Sanzule Krizan District Assembly (D/A) Primary School was adjudged the best in the primary category while Mr

Adu Blankson Junior of Juabeso JHS picked the first prize in the JHS category. Mr Daniel Aidoo of Huni Valley SHS won the first prize in the senior secondary category. Other prizes were awarded to schools and

individuals in sports, culture, ICT and science education categories. The Western Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and Ms Benedicta Naana Binah, Deputy Director General of the GES were presented

with special awards for their contribution towards the promotion of education. Ms Betty Bosomtwi-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister said the RCC would continue to support the Regional Best Teacher/Worker

Award Presentation ceremony to encourage teachers to give out their best. She said government was concern about the welfare of teachers and was doing everything to make the teaching profession attractive

and raise professional standards. Ms Bosomtwe-Sam urged teachers to supplement government's efforts by playing their expected roles to educate children to be good

future leaders and citizens of the country. Ms Naana Biney spoke against the refusal of some teachers to accept postings to rural and deprived communities where their services

were most needed. She said urban communities were full of qualified teachers but some rural and deprived communities do not have even a single qualified teacher.

Ms Naana Biney said the GES condition of service enjoins teachers to accept postings anywhere.

Mrs Rebecca Effiba Dadzie, Regional Director of Education, called on Chiefs and opinion leaders to make their communities teacher- friendly to reduce the rate of teacher attrition in the region. She urged teachers to be good role models to the children in the communities they serve saying "Do not expose yourself to danger, drunkenness, sexual harassment and sexual abuse may land you into trouble and you should not try to incur the displeasure of community members".

Mrs Dadzie asked young teachers and education workers posted to deprived areas to regard themselves as agents of change in those

areas and not to see their posting as punishment.