Last week Thursday, October 5, the world celebrated teachers as we marked World Teachers Day. October 5 is a day endorsed by UNESCO/ILO convention of 1996 to globally celebrate and appreciate the work of teachers who help shape and mould us to become responsible and good citizens.
The setting aside a day to appreciate efforts of teachers and reward them accordingly in itself is something that teachers must be proud of. Here in Ghana October 5th is marked by a National Best Teacher and Best Schools Awards. And, this year’s edition was the 23rd National Best Teacher and 3rd Best Schools Awards.
The event, which was held in the Eastern regional capital, Koforidua, was on the theme: “Teaching In Freedom, Empowering Teachers.” Forty-one-year-old teacher at the Richard Acquaye Memorial Basic School in Accra, Ms. Faustina Coppson, was crowned as the 2017 Best Teacher.
And for her hard work, government rewarded her with a three-bed room house to be constructed at a place of her choice, GHC50,000 Life insurance cover from SIC Life Insurance and a cheque for GHC80,000. Also, the first and second runners-up—Ms Agnes Nutakor of Kpeve Model School, Volta Region and Mr. Joseph Abussah of Presbyterian Senior High School, Greater Accra Region, respectively were not left out. They were equally handsomely rewarded.
While commending the current and past governments of this country for their support for teachers, Today believes a lot more can be done to better the lot of our teachers. This means that we begin first by looking at ways to improve upon their conditions of service.
There is no denying the fact that teachers are one group of workers in this country who, most often, tend to embark on industrial actions. And the reason for such strikes obviously is poor conditions of service.
To state it bluntly, what many of our teachers in this country receive as salaries is nothing to write home about, looking at the enormous role they play in the development of this country. It is in the light of the above that Today is urging the Akufo-Addo administration to pay critical attention to teachers’ welfare.
By making teachers’ welfare a priority, we believe government will also be making inroads with its free senior high school educational policy. We must all understand that the teacher’s role is important and thus we should refrain from saying that the teacher’s reward is in heaven.
If there is something good we should do for them, then the time is now! On this score Today wants to use this medium to say ayekoo to all our hard working teachers.
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