Nkawie (Ash), Dec 23, GNA-Mr Eddy Obeng-Darko, the Atwima District Director of Education has commended the rural communities in the district for making life bearable for many of the trained teachers in the rural areas.

The directorate, he said, also appreciates and recognises the valuable and selfless services and contributions of the rural teachers towards the promotion of education in the most deprived rural areas. In a Christmas message to teachers and other education stakeholders in the district, Mr Obeng-Darko, who is the National President of the Conference of District Directors of Education (CODDE), said the Ghana Education Service (GES) would pursue rural-centred education development programmes that would reverse the disparities between the urban and the rural schools.

He said a special dispensation of two years instead of three years for the rural teachers to qualify for study leave with pay to pursue tertiary education has been instituted as incentive.

Mr Obeng-Darko said education could only benefit the whole society if all stakeholders made frantic efforts to develop and improve its quality.

He emphasised that the school and the community should be well informed on educational policies and programmes for effective and efficient implementation.

The director was hopeful that the peace and cordiality between education policy makers and the communities would flourish.