Wa, July 27, GNA - The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF) joint in-service training programme is expected to benefit 600 teachers and educational administrators from the northern sector this year. Mr. John Nyoagbe, Deputy General Secretary of (GNAT), said 190 teachers from the Upper West and Upper East regions had benefited from the programme aimed to sharpen their teaching strategies and administrative skills.

He said this at the close of a one-week in-service training workshop organized by GNAT and CTF for teachers from two regions in Wa. Mr. Nyoagbe said in its quest to improve the quality of professional services, GNAT had not only benefited from funding from the CTF but had also shared in the expertise that they regularly brought to bear on the teachers.

He thanked the Canadian team for donating school books and supplies worth 1,500 dollars and 1000 Ghana cedis to deprived schools in the Tamale Metropolis and Wa Municipality. Mr. Mahmud Khalid, the Upper West Regional Minister, expressed gratitude to the GNAT/CTF for the effective collaboration aimed to build the capacity of teachers across various disciplines. He said the training would not only enhance efficiency of teachers but would also improve quality of service delivery in education in the two regions. Mr Khalid said government had recognized the central role teachers play in every educational system and would ensure better numeration for them.

"Government would also pay allowances to teachers in deprived areas and provide access and support to them for training and professional development", Mr. Khalid said. Mr. Cletus S. Paaga, Upper West Regional Director of Education, advised the teachers to integrate the teaching of HIV/AIDS in their lessons at school to save the youth from the virus. 27 July 09