Ghanaian female teachers claimed all the three topmost awards at the '2019 Ghana Teacher Prize' event in Kumasi.

The programme, organized under the auspices of the National Teaching Council, had more than forty teaching and non-teaching staff being honoured for their immense contribution to educational development in the country.

Sabina Koba Dosu of the St. Dominic Roman Catholic Basic School in the Eastern Region, won the ultimate prize as 'Ghana's Most Outstanding Teacher', and was presented with a cheque for 180, 000 Cedis to enable her buy a three-bedroom house.

On hand to do the presentation was the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, accompanied by the Minister of Education, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh.

Philipa Darko, a teacher of the State Experimental M/A School, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region, emerged as the first runner-up and took home a 4x4 pick-up vehicle.

The second runner-up position went to Christiana Yeyeh of the Yumba Special School for the Intellectually Disabled, Tamale, in the Northern Region. She received a saloon car for her prize.

The other award winners were given prizes ranging from refrigerators, television sets, laptop computers to certificates.

The 'Ghana Teacher Prize' event was designed as part of activities to commemorate the 'World Teachers' Day' - an annual occasion to celebrate the teaching profession.

"Young Teachers - the Future of the Profession", was the theme adopted for this year's event.

In an address, Alhaji Dr. Bawumia saluted the gallant teachers "who under many circumstances continue to strive to make life better and more dignifying for the citizenry".

The Vice President observed that the teacher's contribution to the nation's development went beyond the classroom.

"Teachers inspire and encourage us to bring out the potential in us.

"They carry us beyond those walls through to the path of development in spite of the difficulties that may come their way," he noted, saying the nation was very grateful for the dedicated services.

Alhaji Dr. Bawumia said government is determined to pursue teacher-friendly policies in order to make life comfortable for those in the profession.

"The objective of the Nana Akufo-Addo’s Administration is to promote the growth of teachers in all dimensions of the profession in accordance with international standards," he said.

This, he said, encompassed recruitment, education and training, welfare issues and conditions of service, saying the government was focused on raising the status of the Ghanaian teacher for the benefit of the nation.

Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education, said education is the bedrock for any nation's sustainable growth.

Therefore, the government would reform and pursue educational policies that were in tandem with global standards.

He said one of its key agenda was to make the Ghanaian educational system as participatory as possible, especially at the local level for improved supervision.

"The District Assemblies are being empowered to take charge of educational affairs for accountability and transparency as we work to deliver quality education," the Minister said.