O B Amoah: NPP committed to teachers' welfare

The Member of Parliament for Aburi-Nsawam, Osei Bonsu-Amoah, has assured teachers in the country of the New Patriotic Party's continued commitment to improving their welfare and conditions of service.

According to Mr Amoah, it is the party's commitment to the welfare of teachers that had motivated the Teacher First Policy expected to be implemented by the next NPP government under the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He explained that under the Teacher First Policy the NPP would focus on the “3Rs of teacher recruitment, teacher retraining and teacher retention, adding that this is a sine qua non for the provision of quality education for the nation's future leaders.

“The NPP believe that the best legacy that can be bequeathed to any individual or group is quality education, and that is why the next NPP government under Nana Addo want to commit more resources into the educational sector, to make his proposed free senior high education a reality. And in doing so, we recognise the pivotal role teachers play in education delivery and that is why we are putting them first in our plan,” he stated.

The former Minister for Youth and Sports in the previous Kufuor administration was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Best Teacher Award ceremony of the Akuapem South Municipality at Nsawam last Thursday.

The Best Teacher Award, which covered the period 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, was co-sponsored by Mr Amoah, who had expressed worry about the inability of the Municipality to honour their teachers for their contribution to the area's development.

In February, 2012, while presenting 120 sets of duel desks and 28 computers to the Municipal Directorate of Education for distribution to some selected schools in the area, the MP

pledged to sponsor two years of the backlog and called on the Assembly to also sponsor the other two years.

He lamented at the time: “It is not right to fail to recognise the sacrifices our teachers are making to provide education for our children, to prepare them as future leaders, and we therefore don't have any excuse not to honour them.”

In all, 46 teachers from both basic and second cycle schools who had distinguished themselves in their work received prizes in a form of certificates, television sets, gas cookers and refrigerators.

The Municipal Director of Education, Stella Nanor, praised the award winners for their exceptional devotion to duty and urged other teachers in the area to learn from their shining examples.

Mrs Nanor also commended Mr Amoah for his commitment to education in the area, especially the sponsorship he provided to make the Best Teacher Award a reality.

The Municipal Chief Executive, Mark Dompreh, pledged the Assembly's commitment to sustain the Best Teacher Award to assure teachers in the area that their contribution is cherished.

The ceremony was chaired by Nana Kwafo Kraban III, Krontihene of Akuapem Anafo, who represented the Omanhene of Aburi Traditional Area, Otubour Djan Kwasi.

(L-R) -Samuel K Gyasi, 2010 Best Head Teacher; Mrs Stella Nanor, Municipal Director of Education; Hon O B Amoah, MP, Nana Kwafo Kraban III, Krotihene of Akuapem Anaafo.

From (3rs L)- Mark Dompreh, MCE, Hon O B Amoah, MP, Nana Kwafo Kraban III, Akuapem Anaafo Krontihene, Mrs Stella Nanor, Municipal Director of Education