Am Not Leaving Teaching Profession For Any Organisation Job — 2020 Best Teacher Asserts

The 2020 National Best Teacher, Mr Eric Asomani Asante has emphatically stated that he shall not leave the teaching profession for any company or organisation no matter the level of compensations and remuneration that company intend to offer him.

According to him, it has always been his vision and aims to impart knowledge to others. "If it's a job offer that would take me away from my teaching profession completely, then I shall decline that offer".

He was speaking to Ben Nartey on GBC Radio Central Tuesday October 6, 2020.

According to Mr Asomani Asante, currently, he has been approached by two organisations to work for but all those organisations are within the education sector, so he shall consider their offer and work with them.

When asked what has motivated him thus far, the 2020 best teacher said a woman he met at church was the one who encouraged him to be a teacher. He continued that "She told me I can be a good teacher and after five years, I had to consider her counsel". "I decided to go to training college just to stop the woman from her persistent harassment". He added that after the first semester, he developed interest in the teaching profession and had to go and thank the woman for her advise. "Unfortunately, after I completed my school, she had passed on to eternity and I was very sad about it". "My motivator has been Madame Janet Boateng the late".

Explaining what he thought made him stand out as the best teacher for 2020, he said based on the criteria being used, he knew he could compete. He added, one was based on his classroom achievements. "I prepared 89 candidates for 2015 BECE and 72 had grade ones and the remaining had grade 2, that I knew was an achievement the authorities would love".

In expounding further, the 2020 best teacher said in 2013 his school presented 75 candidates, out of this number 52 had grade 1 and the remaining 23 had grade 2 in ICT. He added that when he attended the interview he sent an analysis of all the BECE results from 2011 to 2019. "In my school and based on the analyses, ICT topped and looking at the classroom achievement as a requirement, I knew I came on top".

He further added that another criterion was community involvement. "As a teacher, I used my personal money amounting to ¢25,000.00 to procure 15 computers, one projector plus a quantity of ICT books which I have authored and donated to my Alma Mater basic school (Akuaise SDA)". "This, I have done twice, 2012 and 2019". Additionally, according to Mr Asomani Asante, he is the Health Ministry Leader of Community Six SDA. "I have organised a series of health screenings for the church and community screening people for eye, prostate, cervical cancer and others".

He added that he did all these not knowing one day he shall be in a context where all these would be needed. "I've videos and pictures of all these activities".

Aside all these, Mr. Eric Asomani Asante said, he is also taking care of two students; one at Mfantsiman Girls and the other one is at Kwahu Tafo Technical School. According to him, all these are part of his community intervention which forms part of the criteria being considered.

Explaining further, Mr Asomani Asante said in the criterion of international recognition, he had received training from India which he has used the knowledge he gained and gone round imparting the knowledge to other colleagues of his. He added on professional achievement, he had published 10 ICT textbooks which is used across the country. "ICT textbook named 'best time publication' is my work. I authored the books, and published them in Ghana. All these have created employment opportunities for others".

He continued, "With all these achievements plus other things I had done with my life, I knew once God was on my side, I was going to be crowned the best teacher."

When asked about the practical challenges that hinder teaching ICT in government schools, he said as for the challenges, they abound but this is where the teacher can improvise to help students. According to him, apart from the scholarship he had to study in India, he also paid for another course while in India. "I left India with two certificates. With all this knowledge, I had to apply them in teaching my students".

He continued that, it is the responsibility of every teacher to make the subject he or she teaches interesting.

Eric Asomani Asante is a teacher who was born at Akuase in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region. The mother is called Madame Mary Akoto who is a fish monger. He had his Basic, Junior High School and Secondary education all at Akuase.

After completing his secondary education in 2001, he moved to Tema to do photo and video business for five years in other save money to further his education. He attended training college in 2005 and completed in 2008.

After completing in 2008, he was posted to Ashley Botwe Primary School. After one year of service, he moved to Tema SDA School to teach ICT and that is a total of 12 years of teaching.

He had the opportunity to proceed to University of Cape Coast to get his first degree. In 2015/2016, he had scholarship to study in India. He latter went to Valley View University to acquire his maters degree in 2018. He has currently been awarded the 2020 Best Teacher.

He has 15 certificates apart from his training college, Winneba and his masters certificates from Valley View University.

The programme was held at the University of Cape Coast New Examination Hall on Monday, October 5, 2020.