Educationist proposes special incentives for teachers in rural areas

Mampong (Ash), March 29, GNA - Professor Richard Tuyee Awuah, Principal, College of Agriculture Education, Mampong, has called for special incentives for teachers working in deprived areas of the country. He noted that rural areas are generally not attractive to workers so teachers who opt to work in such areas must receive special incentives to motive them. Professor Awuah was speaking at the Mampong Municipal/Sekyere Central Ghana National Association of Teachers Third Quadrennial Delegates Conference at Asante-Mampong on Friday.

He said such incentives may include the provision of motorbikes on hire purchase, special monetary enticement and better study leave conditions.

Other incentives may be the obligatory transfer to an urban area after serving for a minimum period of time, tax relief, establishment of loan schemes with subsidized interest rates and rapid progression along the professional ladder. He proposed that the children of teachers should be assisted to access quality education which could serve as a motivation for teachers to work in the rural areas.

Speaking on the theme, "New Direction to Quality Education; Motivation for Teachers as a Catalyst," Professor Awuah said the teacher was the pivot around which quality education revolved and that without the teacher, reforms and the restructuring processes remained mirages. Mr. Frank Yaw Musah, Mampong Municipal Director of Education, called on teachers to be committed and dedicated to their responsibility to win the confidence of the parents. 29 March 09