Faith Aku Dzakpasu adjudged Most Outstanding Teacher for 2023

Madam Faith Aku Dzakpasu, a teacher at GRETA ‘D’ Shepherd Two Basic School at Awoshie in the Greater Accra region has been adjudged the Most Outstanding Teacher for the year 2023.

3-bedroom apartment, GH₵1m Insurance

For her prize, Faith Aku Dzakpasu was presented with a prototype of a three-bedroom apartment worth GH₵450,000 to be built at a place of her choice in any part of the country, GH₵1 million worth of insurance from the State Insurance Company (SIC), an educational trip to Singapore, a scholarship for further studies and 1,000 exercise books.

Isabella Wussa-Tetteh is first runner-up

The first runner-up award went to Madam Isabella Wussa-Tetteh of Sege D/A Primary and Kindergarten (KG) in the Greater Accra region.

4×4 Pick Up truck, GH₵1m Insurance

For her prize, she took home a 4×4 Pick Up truck, GH₵1 million worth of insurance cover from SIC, scholarship,  promotion out of turn and 1,000 exercise books.

Fredous Idi-Amin is second runner-up

The second runner-up position on the other hand went to Fredous Idi-Amin of Ogbojo Presbyterian Basic School also in the Greater Accra Region.

Saloon Car, GH₵1m Insurance

She also took home a brand new Saloon Car, GH₵1 million insurance cover from SIC, scholarship, promotion out of turn and 1,000 exercise books.

Other awards

Mr Benjamin Semenyo Lifeson, a tutor at the Presbyterian College of Education in the Eastern Region, was adjudged the Best College of Education Tutor, and received a 4×4 pick-up vehicle.

Mr Abraham Fletcher, Sefwi-Wiawso Municipal Director of Education in the Western North Region, got a saloon car, life insurance and a trip to Singapore as his prizes for emerging the Best Teacher in Leadership and Administration.

Mr Andrews Danso, a Principal Administrative Officer at the Apersua Community Senior High School in the Eastern Region, was adjudged Best Non-Teaching Staff, and his prizes were a saloon car, life insurance and a trip to Singapore.

Other award winners included Madam Racheal Afriyie, a teacher at Pabi M/A Primary School in the Eastern Region, who was the Best KG Teacher, Madam Barikisu Suleiman, from Answaru-Deen Islamic Basic School, Greater Accra Region; Best Primary School Teacher.

Mr Jibiliru Amadu Nankpa, from TUTCO Demonstration Basic School in the Upper West Region, was the Best Junior High School Teacher, with Mr Peter Adu-Boahene, of the Kumasi Technical Institute, being the Best Senior High and Technical School (SHTS) Teacher.

Mr Sayibu Yakubu, a teacher at the Yendi Senior High School, won the Best SHS Teacher.

Best Colleges of Education Tutor

Aside these, a new award was presented to Mr Simon Boateng, from the St Monica’s College of Education, Asante Mampong for being the Best Tutor from all the Colleges of education in the country and took home a 4×4 Pick Up.

The Ghana Teachers Prize 2023 was on the theme: “The Teachers We Need for the Education We want: The Global Imperative to Reverse the Teacher Shortage.”

President Nana Akufo-Addo commends teachers

Speaking at the ceremony, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appreciated the excellent contribution of teachers towards the achievement of the country’s educational transformational agenda.

“We can never overlook the significant role of teachers in the development agenda of the nation.

“Your role of shaping the minds and hands of the future generation, imbibing our cultural heritage ideals that bind us as a people,” the President said.

President Akufo-Addo noted the huge investment in the education sector, retooling of institutions, upgrade in teacher standards and professionalism and the Free Senior High school policy as a model of hope, adding, “our hope is an education system that leaves no child behind.”

He acknowledged the many challenges confronting the sector despite the upgrade and retooling, adding, “we are committed to resourcing teachers, improve conditions and create the enabling environment for teachers to thrive.”

“The government’s commitment to education in the country had been exemplary and I am encouraged by the considerable improvement in Ghana’s education system,” President Akufo-Addo added.

He explained that the huge investment being made in the education sector in the country would not yield any result without the teacher.

President Akufo-Addo stated that the role of teachers in the training of the right manpower for the nation cannot be underestimated and pledged to continue supporting the sector to ensure that effective teaching and learning take place in all schools across the country.

He mentioned the payment of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) allowance to teachers, the provision of laptops to teachers, upgrading of Diploma certificates to Degrees for Colleges of Education among others as some of the initiatives put in place to improve education development in the country.

The President assured all teachers who have not yet received their Laptops under the One Teacher One Laptop project that everything possible would be done to ensure that they received theirs and called on the Education Minister to do everything possible to ensure that the outstanding ones were presented to the deserving teachers.

President Akufo-Addo lauded the National Teaching Council (NTC) and all other institutions which contributed in diverse ways towards the awards for their commitment towards honouring the nation’s gallant teachers.

The President was happy the huge investment being made in the education sector has started yielding good results citing the good grades made by this year’s students who sat for the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) which recorded very high scores in all subjects.

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education was full of praise for the President for his commitment and interest in the development of education in the country.

He assured the President of his readiness to continue working very hard towards the attainment of the best education for the nation since education was the driving force behind the development of every country.

The Education Minister appealed to all stakeholders in the education space to continue working very hard towards the transformation of the country through education

Dr Adutwum stated that “we are not just providing education for the nation’s youth but we are positioning the nation to become a giant in various facets with the training of people with critical thinking skills and knowledge that is required towards the development of the nation’s economy.

He appreciated the teeming teacher population of the country for their hard work and dexterity towards the Ghanaian child.

He said the country needed those core elements such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and effective communication in teaching and learning and prayed that the Ghanaian teacher, become conscious of such factors.

Registrar of the National Teaching Council (NTC), Dr Christian Addai-Poku, praised the sponsors and other institutions which played various roles towards the honouring of the teachers as a way of motivating and appreciating them for their roles played.

He pledged to continue working very hard to ensure that the quality of teaching in schools was improved by putting in place the right initiatives to ensure that the quality of instruction in schools was maintained.

Dr Addai-Poku called for something to be done to help reduce the high teacher attrition situation in the country which posed a great danger to the nation’s development.

The Reverend Isaac Owusu, President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers, prayed for more money for teachers.

“I am appealing to the Government, through the Ministry of Education to expedite actions to refund the GH₵44.55 deducted from teachers’ salaries for the one teacher one laptop policy, while also ensuring the supply of the rest of the laptops.”

He also appealed to the Government through the Ghana Education Service to fulfill its promise of the payments of 20% gross salary for teachers who accepted postings to underserved areas.