Akosombo (E/R), Dec. 11, GNA - Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regio= nal Minister, on Friday commended teachers working in rural areas for their sacrifices and commitment to duty. "Even working under very trying conditions you still do well to give= of your best," he stressed.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was speaking at the Asuogyaman District Best Teacher=

award ceremony at Akosombo, on the theme: "Changes in the Educational Policy: The Role of the Teacher."

He indicated that the job of the teacher was a noble one which must be respected adding: "It is the teacher who plays the central role in the upbringing of professors, engineers, lawyers and politicians among others= .. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the Best Teacher Award aimed at recognising competent and conscientious teachers who were devoted to the course of promoting education. He said the awards constituted one of the many interventions that government, through the Ghana Education Service had instituted to raise t= he moral and image of serving teachers in the country.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo indicated that the awards would serve as incentive t= o motivate teachers to work harder to increase output and improve upon the standard of education in the district. He outlined some of the policies and structures which the government=

had put in place to transform the educational institutions in the country= as increment in teachers' salaries by 17 per cent and 20 per cent allowances= to those serving in rural and deprived areas. Others were three incremental credits provided to all science and mathematics teachers and GH¢100.00 subsidy being given to teachers in r= ural areas pursuing Distance Learning Education.

Mr Ofosu- Ampofo urged teacher associations to educate their members= to eschew negative attitudes such as drunkenness, lateness, absenteeism, immoral relations with school girls and other unaccepted behaviours that cast a slur on their image and drag the teaching profession into disreput= e. 1