Government to give incentives to teachers

Agona Duakwa (C/R), Jan 20, GNA - Teachers who accept posting to deprived areas will be given the opportunity to upgrade themselves in tertiary institutions after three years at post.

Apart from upgrading themselves, adequate incentive packages such as bicycles, Wellington boots, rain coats, sound systems, cooking utensils would be given to them to motivate the teachers to give of their best. Mr Rashid Bawa, Acting Minister of State in charge of Education, Youth and Sports announced this at the inauguration of a six-classroom block estimated at 230 million cedis for the Agona Duakwa Roman Catholic Primary School at Duakwa.

Professor Kwesi Yankah, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ghana and a citizen of Agona Duakwa initiated the project. Mr Bawa said the government would not relent in making educational infrastructure available and accessible to improve teaching and learning since education was the key to the development of every nation. He urged parents and guardians to play their expected roles since the progress of their children and guardians depended on them. Mr Bawa expressed appreciation to Prof Yankah for his efforts, which had resulted in improving the deplorable condition of the School to enhance the quality of education.

He Praised the Agona District Assembly for showing concern for education and agreeing to pay the sports and culture fees for all basic schools pupils in the district.

Mr Bawa charged the teachers, parents and the school management committee to encourage the pupils to plant trees on the compound to serve as windbreak.

Prof Yankah enumerated how the project was initiated in late 90s, saying, he travelled to USA and met an African-American, adding that, during discussions he briefed him about the lack of development at Duakwa.

He said when he was returning to Ghana, he called him and the African-American who donated 2,000 dollars for any development project at Agona Duakwa.

Prof Yankah said that he used the amount to start the six=3Dclassroom block for the School.

He stated that the project was abandoned for lack of funds but when a rainstorm ripped off the roof last year, he started soliciting funds to complete the project.

Prof Yankah said he went to show the pictures of the school and its surroundings to Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Acting Minister of Education, Youth and Sports who through the assistance of the Ministry of Finance released 200 million cedis for the completion of the project. He praised the Agona District Chief Executive, Mr John Kwesi Agyabeng, Mr G B L Siilo, District Coordinating Director and personnel of the Engineering Department of the Agona District Assembly for using the money judiciously to achieve the purpose it was given.