AYEKOO, TEACHERS (OCTOBER 6, 2009)

YESTERDAY, some teachers were honoured for their dedicated and selfless services towards the development of a highly skilled and efficient human resource for the country.
We salute them for their meritorious service to the country and urge those who did not receive any awards to be inspired to work harder because soon they will receive their reward here on earth, contrary to the popular perception that the teacher’s reward is in heaven.
It is also said that an army marches on its stomach and this, by extension, means that nobody can give of his or her best if the proper incentives are not put in place.
We, therefore, urge the government to step up efforts at improving the remuneration package for our teachers.
Meanwhile, it is heart-warming that the implementation of the single spine salary structure, which is expected to commence next year, will help to resolve this challenge and spur teachers on to give of their best to society.
Some time ago, teachers were highly regarded in our communities as the fountains of wisdom, knowledge and enlightenment. Teachers thus doubled as the spokespersons for the communities to which they were posted. They were held in high esteem as role models worthy to be emulated by children.
Unfortunately, by a combination of factors, including those known and unknown, teachers lost this pre-eminence in society.
They lost credibility in society because some of them indulged in negative behaviours such as drunkenness and absenteeism and left the children to their fate.
Those who remained in the classrooms did very little to improve educational standards or took extra money for extra tuition that they could have done during normal teaching hours.
In spite of these challenges however, the state considered it crucial to find a way of motivating teachers to give their best, hence the introduction of the Best Teachers Awards scheme, which is in its 15th year.
The Mills administration has, since assuming office, initiated some incentive packages for teachers, especially the announcement of a 20 per cent allowance for teachers who accept posting to deprived communities.
It is in line with this objective that President J.E.A. Mills said in Ho yesterday that teachers in deprived areas, as well as those who teach Science, Mathematics, Technical and Vocational subjects, would start enjoying special allowances from this academic year.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appreciates the initiative, as it fulfils the theme for the celebration, “Build the future; Invest in teachers now”.
The teaching confraternity should take the encouraging words by the President that they should take advantage of distance education as a convenient alternative for upgrading themselves as one of the government’s motivational packages for teachers.
It is about time the awards were expanded to cover more teachers, especially those in private educational institutions, as well as non-teaching personnel.
The DAILY GRAPHIC expects that the awards will inspire the winners to give their best because of the onerous challenges and responsibilities the honour places on them.
Similarly, this achievement should inspire and boost the confidence of all teachers to aspire to attain higher laurels in order to unearth the talents in children for a better Ghana.