Best teachers in Volta region given awards

Ho, Sept. 23, GNA - Mr Gabreil Kploanyi, Volta Regional Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has suggested to the communities in the area to contribute towards the selection of award winning teachers. He was speaking at the combined 2006, 2007 and 2008 Best Teachers Awards Ceremony held in Ho on Tuesday.

Mr Kploanyi said the "current arrangement of community ownership of schools made grass root participation in the award scheme necessary. He urged School Management Boards (SMCs) Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) Traditional and religious bodies as well as individuals, to take up the challenge and come up with "guidelines for selecting and giving awards to deserving teachers in their schools". He noted that, communities that supported teachers, especially in the area of accommodation and above all, being friendly to them, have attained tremendous successes over the years in the performance of their wards in school.

Mr Kploanyi expressed his regrets at the dwindling performance of schools in the region in the BECE and SSCE. "We need to recapture our identity and pride as a region of excellence in education delivery and also as a hub of human resource in Ghana."

As part of the awards day, thirty computers and accessories were given to three primary schools in the region.

A total of 61 teachers and ancillary staff in the GES in the region were awarded for meritorious service in various areas. Twenty-four Awardees were for 2006, 18 for 2007 and 19 for 2008. The awards were in the categories of best teachers in Primary, Junior High School (JHS), Senior High School (SHS), Vocational and Technical Education, Teacher Training College and Non-Teaching Staff. Mr Kploanyi said the event prepares the region for the National Best Teachers award for 2009 scheduled for October 5, this year.