31 TEACHERS, NON-TEACHING STAFF HONOURED AT NKWANTA (PAGE 21)

THIRTY-ONE teachers and non-teaching staff in the Nkwanta District of the Volta Region who excelled over the past three years have been honoured at a ceremony at Nkwanta.
They took home prizes such as television sets, refrigerators and gas burners with gas cylinders.
The best teacher in the primary division in 2005 was Ms Christine Darko of Nkwanta Local Authority Primary (L/A) ‘ A’ school while that of the junior high school (JHS) category went to Mr Anthony Yao Agbo of Ashiabre L/A JHS with the senior high school (SHS) award going to Mr Simon Rockefeller of Ntrubuman SHS.
In the 2006 awards, the best teachers were Ms Bridget Kafui Ayensu of Nkwanta Primary ‘A’ school, Mr Ben Hozi of Nkwanta L/A JHS and Ms Catherine Sogbe of Nkwanta SHS.
In 2007 awards, Ms Annie Checheku of Nkwanta E.P. Primary School emerged the best in the primary division, while Mr Daniel Akli of Nkwanta L/A JHS won that the JHS category. There was no entry for the SHS award.
For the non-teaching staff, Mr Afred Kutor Ofori took the first prize for 2005, while Ms Josephine Afordofe emerged victorious in 2006 while Mr Emmanuel Homenoo won the 2007 award.
In a speech, the Nkwanta South District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Joseph Denteh, commended the award winners for their hard work.
“If we should consider the man hours the teacher puts into his work, then what he takes home as his salary is a mockery of his output,” he observed.
Mr Denteh said the teachers should be consoled that the government, through the salary rationalisation policy, was working to bridge the salary gap of public sector workers.
He noted that even though the prizes they were taking home might not be commensurate with the enormous strain they went through, they should be happy that their efforts had been recognised.
The Volta Regional Director of Education, Reverend S.A. Amankwa, stated that teachers should receive their reward on earth but not in heaven.
He advised the teachers that as transformers of the souls and minds, they should be mindful of whatever they did because a mistake in the classroom could cause the entire nation.
In his welcoming address, the Nkwanta District Director of education, Rev Ernest Gaewu, noted that the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results in the district had gradually improved comparing the 2006 results with those of 2007.
He said in 2006, the district had 50 per cent passes and placed 77th on the national league table while in 2007, it obtained 52 per cent and placed 76th.
Rev Gaewu stated that the district chalked up successes during the 2005 National Basic School Festival held in Sekondi in the Western Region where Ashiabre L/A JHS won the second prize in dance and drama.
He said in the field of sports, the district won the ‘under 12’ boys soccer trophy during the 2007 regional basic schools’ sports festival where Kwame Liboja of Tinjase L/A Primary School was adjudged the best player.
He was grateful to the Ghana Education Project, DANIDA, Hunger and Poverty Reduction Foundation, UNICEF, World Vision International as well as the Members of Parliament for Nkwanta North and Nkwanta South, for using part of their share of the common fund for infrastructure development, purchase of furniture for schools and their contribution towards the success of the teachers’ awards programme.