Ministry acts on Best Teacher Award Winner's petition

Kumasi, Oct 7, GNA - The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports had directed the Nkoranza District Directorate of Education to present to Mr Philip Baidoo his prize for winning the Best Teacher Award. Mr Baidoo, a former teacher at the Nkoranza Local Authority Junior Secondary School, won the first prize in the Basic Science Division in this year's award but was denied his prize of 21-inches coloured television by the District Education Directorate with the excuse that he is no longer teaching in the area.

The Ministry in a letter signed by Mr Fabian Belieb, acting National Co-ordinator of the Best Teacher Award Scheme, stated that the "National Planning Committee of the Scheme is of the view that Mr Baidoo deserves the prize and it should not be denied him."

It made it clear that the main purpose of the scheme as set up by the government was to reward excellence, professionalism and dedication of teachers to the teaching profession at pre-tertiary level and this should therefore not be linked to any other objective.

The Ministry advised the Nkoranza District Education Oversight Committee to institute its own teacher retention package and to de-link it from the Best Teacher Award Scheme.