I didn’t say I walk 42km, journalist ‘invented’ it - Tolon teacher speaks

The young teacher at the centre of a 42-kilometre walk and a standing fan-reward controversy has finally spoken up.

MyNewsGh.com made efforts to reach the hardworking teacher who was rewarded with a fan for his efforts in combining multiple classes to teach in a Tolon district village school, walking 42 kilometres daily.

Social media users could not hide their disbelief about the whole story, with one group questioning the truth in the 42km-walk, while another group concentrated on how insignificant the standing fan was, as a reward for a hardworking teacher.

However, MyNewsGh.com’s Northern Regional correspondent managed to reach Mr Awudu Kombian- the soft-spoken teacher, who had initially declined comment on the matter- to speak to him.

Mr Kombian told MyNewsGh.com that all enquiries about the truth of his walk should be directed to the person who wrote the original story about him, as so far as he is concerned it was an ‘invention’ by the reporter, for what reason he cannot tell.

The teacher who spoke eloquently sounded unhappy about the whole turn of issue, directing all enquiries on the story back to the journalist ‘inventor’.

He disputed saying he walks 42km to school, but refused to confirm to MyNewsGh.com whether he walks to school at all, and for how long.

Background

It was alleged that teacher, Mr Kombian walks 42 kilometres to class to teach everyday and was rewarded with a standing fan as a mark of appreciation by the authorities at the Tolon District Assembly during last Tuesday’s Independence Day Celebration.

The award was presented by the district director of education Reverend Georgina Anaaba Norga who asked the teacher to continue with the good work.

Awudu Kombian had been serving as the only teacher for the Warvi D/A primary school for several academic periods.

Some other teachers also received similar awards, including a huge thermo food flask, for their exceptional roles in promoting rural education in the area.

A citation was publicly read praising their commitment and “well dedicated service” despite daunting challenges faced by rural teachers.

Until three teachers were recently posted to the Warvi primary school in one of Tolon’s hard to reach deprived inlands, Mr. Kombian doubled as a headmaster and teacher.

The school has a population of about 74 with three classrooms, and he taught them all alone for more than a year.

He travelled 42kms to school to prepare the pupils for lessons. As a headmaster, he performed other tasks and so the school was always closed down whenever he fell ill or travelled.