Sunyani, Sept 29, GNA - Thirty-nine teachers in 13 categories at different levels of education and non-teaching personnel will be honoured by President John Agyekum Kufuor at the 14th national best teacher award ceremony to be held in Techiman in Brong Ahafo on November 7 this year. Mr Abraham Kwadwo Kwakye, Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, who announced this at a press conference to launch the programme in Brong Ahafo, said the national ceremony would be part of the celebration of World Teachers' Day, which would be observed on October 7 at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani. He said the teachers and workers would be honoured in recognition of their meritorious services in the advancement of the human resource base of the country. On their prizes, the Deputy Minister said "the national best teacher will receive a house worth GHC50, 000, while a vehicle each will be awarded to the first and second runners-up". Mr Kwakye explained that the first runner-up will be awarded with a car worth 22,000 dollars while the second runner-up will receive a car worth 18,000 dollars. He said in addition, each of them would be given a computer while the respective schools would also be given a computer each for producing the award winners. Mr Kwakye added there would also be awards for the winners in the categories of Primary, Junior High and Senior High, as well as the non-teaching staff. "The ultimate winners will each be given a double-door refrigerator while the first runner-up and the second-runner-up will each be given 21-inch colour television set and gas cooker respectively. "Besides these items, they will each be given some other things, which will be disclosed on the D-day," the Deputy Regional Minister said. He said 40 retired teachers had been selected from all the districts in the region for special awards of ghetto blasters and cash in recognition of their immense contributions to the advancement of education. Mr Kwakye said as part of the ceremony, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) would provide a uniform, canvas boots and a bag containing some learning materials to some selected needy pupils. "In addition, the GNAT is awarding two of its local secretaries with Honda motor-bikes in recognition of their impressive performances on the ground and these are innovations in this year's ceremony," he said.

The Deputy Regional Minister said the global theme for this year's celebration was "Teacher Education Policies", while the slogan was "Teachers Matter", which he said was incidentally the theme for the national celebration in Ghana. "The theme emphasizes the unique contributions of teachers to societal development, highlighting the provision of quality education to ensure that poverty and ignorance were nipped in the bud," he said. Mr Kwakye emphasized that the celebration of the Teachers' Day was to serve as a reminder to all stakeholders in the educational enterprise world-wide to go by the contents of the recommendations concerning the status of teachers as adopted by UNESCO and International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Paris, France on October 5, 1966. He extended a special invitation to chiefs, citizens of the region at home and abroad and indeed everybody to join in the celebration. Present included Mr. Francis Opoku Boateng, Regional Co-ordinating Director, Mrs Akua Debrah, Regional Director of Education, members of the regional planning committee and some heads of educational institutions.