Government Urged to Review Teachers Award Scheme

A teacher at the Sunyani Secondary School, (SUSEC), Mr. George Yaw Gyan, has expressed concern about the National Best Teacher's Award Scheme and called on the Ghana Education Service, (GES), the Ministry of Education and stakeholders to urgently review the scheme to ensure that most teachers are adequately rewarded.

He said the mode of selecting the best teacher is not credible, explaining that before a teacher is considered for an award; he has to apply through the District Education Office or be nominated by his headmaster.

Mr. Gyan who was speaking to Space fm in an interview in Sunyani noted that the government should put in place a mechanism to monitor teachers who are doing well and award them accordingly and not teachers themselves applying to be awarded.

He added that unlike farmers whose work output can easily be seen, the performance of a teacher is more technical in terms of quantification and therefore needs in-depth assessment.

Mr. Gyan was worried about the huge prize given to the best teacher which motivates only the winner and not the rest of the staff who contribute to the overall success of the education system.

He suggested that if the aim of the award scheme is to motivate teachers to put in extra effort into the teaching profession, then more teachers who are doing well should equally be awarded.