Twenty-four (24) teachers and three non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service, received awards at the 2010 Western Regional Best Teacher and Worker Awards Presentation ceremony at Fijai near Takoradi on Thursday.
The recipients were Miss Sarah De-Graft Quansah of Anaji Estate Key Primary School, who was adjudged the best primary school teacher and Mr Bernard Arthur of Baidoo Bonsoe Senior High School, who received the award for best ICT teacher.
Those who placed first in the various categories were presented with double door refrigerator; 21-inch colour television sets to the first runner-up and gas cookers with oven to the second runner-up.
The ceremony was under the theme: “Recovery Begins with Teachers”.
Speaking at the function, Madam Betty Busumtwi-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister, called on stakeholders to put their shoulders to the wheel and contribute to the development of the country’s education.
She said people should support the course of teachers so that they (teaches) would be able to offer their best to train the human resource base of the country.
Madam Busumtwi-Sam, who deputized for the Regional Minister, said many more Ghanaians must be given the opportunity to have quality education to effectively participate in national development.
She said this was important because the National Democratic Congress (NDC) goal is to build a “Better Ghana”.
Mrs Rebecca Efiba Dadzie, Regional Director of Education, announced that the Region would host the 2011 Best Teacher Awards presentation ceremony.
She urged teachers, the public and organizations to assist the ceremony to become a resounding success.
Mrs Dadzie said the Bibiani-Anwiaso-Bekwai District topped the Regional Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2010 for the fourth consecutive time.
She said the Mpohor Wassa East District, which occupied the 14th position in 2009, moved up to the sixth position in 2010 by improving upon its percentage pass of 53.4 to 65.4.
Mrs Dadzie said the Regional percentage pass for 2010 BECE results declined from 58.9 in 2009 to 58.7 in 2010.
She said the Region presented 35,150 candidates for the BECE in 2010 as against 38,386 candidates in 2009, despite the percentage increase in school population and enrolment.
She said the reasons included the high dropout rate especially among people in the “galamsey” operating districts and parents registering their second year JHS children to sit for the BECE.
Mrs Dadzie said this practice of pupils taking their BECE earlier must be discouraged.
Mrs Georgina Baiden, former National President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) presided over the ceremony, which was attended by dignitaries such as Paapa Owusu-Ankomah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Sekondi and Mr Joe Ghartey, MP for Essikado-Ketan.