Mrs Docia Abban, New Juaben Municipal Director of Education, has cautioned teachers to desist from using class hours for their private businesses.

She said the practice was bad and could result in school children performing poorly in their examinations.

Mrs. Abban was speaking at a School/Teacher Excellence award ceremony, Ghana Transition and Persistence (TAP) Project, in Koforidua Thursday.

The award is among activities being undertaken by the USAID and implemented by Plan Ghana through TAP Project under the “USAID JHS (Junior High School) Education Intervention Project” to help improve teaching and learning in the Municipality.

Mrs. Abban observed that due to the myriad challenges facing teachers, most of them resort to engaging in private businesses, which tend to undermine teaching and learning.

She urged the beneficiary schools, teachers and students to reap the full benefits of the intervention.

Mrs. Ruby Avotri, Municipal Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the Project, observed that the project was to increase JHS enrolment and to bridge the gap between primary and JHS completion rates.

She noted that the project being undertaken in 156 JHS in 13 districts in four regions is now in its third and final year.

Mrs Avotri added that to meet the objectives of the project, incentives had been created for teachers, students and school-communities that had increased enrolment and completion rates.

“We hope the support being given will help improve the conditions to enable pupils enjoy school, stay in school, work hard and complete with good grades that will allow them to transit to higher level of education.”

The TAP Project is a Plan Ghana initiative, which sponsors needy but brilliant students and also train teachers in their subjects.

Three schools in the New Juaben Municipality took excellence awards. The first school would have a Computer and Library complex with books while two teachers who excelled also took homes, computer laptops and accessories.**