Ghanaian teachers have been commended for putting their lives on the line in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that our future leaders are not denied quality education.
“Although the pandemic is causing a lot of discomfort, yet the teacher adopt a holistic approach characterized by respect for individual students and their unique experiences in order to achieve the much - needed human-centered recovery we are all craving for”.
The National President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Ms. Philippe Larsen who delivered a message on behalf of Unions in the Pre-Tertiary Education sector, said this at the commemoration of 2021 Ghana Teacher Prize held at the Eusbeth International Conference Centre, in Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital.
She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had become a major global challenge with unprecedented effects which led to enormous pressure on teachers, yet teachers adopted innovative ways of plying their trade to ensure that their clients stayed on course.
Turning to the theme of this year’s Ghana Teacher Prize, “Teachers wanted: Reclaiming Teaching and Learning for human - centered recovery”, she wondered what happened to teaching and learning that had warranted its recovery, putting the cause at the doorstep of the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms. Philippe Larsen, however, commended Government for the bold and pragmatic measures it put in place to contain the spread of the virus with the aim of overcoming it to allow the citizenry to move on with their normal lives.
On the concerns of the Unions in the Pre-Tertiary Education sector, she referred the large gathering at the center to the Union’s press statement issued on August 10 which catalogued their various pressing issues and called on the Ghana Education Service (G.E.S) to co-operate with them to ensure the speedy resolution of the issues to avert any industrial action .
Mr. Ebenezer Kojo Otto, of the Winneba Senior High School in the Central Region was adjudged Ghana’s most outstanding teacher and had for his prize, a three - bedroom house and assorted items. The first runner -up was Rev. Sr. Jusinta Kwakyewaa of the St. Francis Senior High Technical School in the Eastern Region, while the second runner - up position went to Mr. Nelson Saviour Kwashie of the Awutu Swindon Senior High School in the Central Region. For their prizes, they had a 4x4 pick-up and a saloon car respectively.
