As part of the activities to commemorate the 2021 edition of World Teachers’ Day and the Ghana Teacher Prize,
the National Officers of the GNAT visited teachers in island communities in the Brong Ahafo GNAT region.
The visit which was led by the National President, Madam Philippa Larsen, was climaxed with a durbar which
was organized by the chiefs and opinion leaders of the communities in honor of the National Officers. The
communities visited were Akpoklikope, Old Nkomi, Okpalama, Wayakope and Lala.
Madam Philippa Larsen commended the communities for taking up the initiative of building the primary schools
themselves. She noted that the delegation brought huge blessings to the communities and that she believes the
visit will attract various stakeholders and Corporate Ghana to build JHS for the Nkomi community and its
surrounding villages. She commended the teachers for their dedication and commitment to work in the community
even though conditions in the community were not favorable. Her prayer for the community was that the school
will produce a public figure in future.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Daniel Affadu (Deputy General Secretary, Administration & Labour Relations)
mentioned that, World Teachers’ Day is a global event which is celebrated on 5th October annually. He added
that in the past years, the celebration was usually launched in Accra and donations were made to learners,
teachers and schools in deprive communities.
This year however, the leadership of GNAT decided to extend the gesture to other regions and as such the
Brong Ahafo region was decided upon for the launching and donation exercise. The decision was to afford the
National Officers the opportunity to have firsthand experience of the conditions under which teachers in the
region, particularly the island communities are working.
Mr. Affadu concluded that having travelled almost an hour by boat to the Island and after assessing the accommodation
of teachers, classrooms among other things, the National Officers will add their voices to that of the teachers in drumming
home their desire for assistance from stakeholders especially the GES and the Ministry of Education.
The Officers donated Forty (40) Dual Desk, eight (8) Teachers Tables and Chairs, one (1) Solar Panel, One Hundred (100)
Life Jackets to the five primary schools in the Island communities through the District Director of Education to aide
teaching and learning in the area.