Motivation of teachers in Ghana will be at the heart of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Minister-designate of the Ministry of Education, has said.

According to him, if students’ results are to see an improvement, it is imperative that those who impart the knowledge onto the students are well motivated to carry out their tasks.

Speaking during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of parliament on Tuesday January 24, Dr Prempeh, who is also the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, said: “How I intend [to motivate teachers] probably doesn’t matter, but how the government intends or what the government puts into action is what will matter. But teacher motivation and teachers at the centre of the NPP educational reform is very well stated in our manifesto and other pronouncements made by his Excellency the President.

“The teacher should be the fulcrum or the pivot of which our educational success should be measured. No matter what you will put in, you need the teacher to ensure that you get quality educational outcomes. The educational outcomes we know are better students, better informed knowledgeable students, students with good skills with the attitude and aptitude to work as captured in Ghana’s Educational Policy Act 778.

“It is clear that before you can do that you have to look at the cost implications, you have to look at the incentive package, you have to be discriminatory against whether it is a rural or urban teacher. These decisions will have to be taken by His Excellency. Upon advice and recommendations, then we will proceed.

“But we have stated that without the teacher our educational reforms will come to zero, so the teacher at the centre of quality educational outcome is imperative. His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assures me that I could read because I was taught by a teacher, so the teacher first is the NPP manifesto.”