Apam, Jan. 12, GNA - Fifteen teachers and two non-teaching personnel in Gomoa District were on Tuesday awarded for dedicated services.

They were presented with refrigerators, television sets, gas cookers, cassette players and foam mattresses.

Speaking at the function, Mr Eric Bediako Oppong, the District Coordinating Director, said in 2003 Gomoa District Assembly sponsored the education of 136 teacher trainees, 70 Senior Secondary School students and 44 university and polytechnic students.

Mr Bediako Oppong said in 2004, the Assembly made available 376.8 million cedis to support brilliant but needy students in basic, secondary, teacher training colleges and other tertiary institutions. He said 85 dilapidated school blocks were either replaced or rehabilitated for the past four years in the district. The Coordinating Director said the assembly supported the 2004 science, technology and mathematics education with 59 million cedis and spent 20 million cedis on sporting activities. He said 172 million cedis had been to provide Internet link for the district.

Mr Thomas Arthur, Gomoa District Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), appealed to the authorities not to let numerical strength of teachers in the country discourage them from improving their condition of service, adding that no quality education could be achieved without the involvement of well-motivated professional teachers.

Mrs Emma Baabu Quarcoo, District Director of Education, commended the Assembly, as well as the former MP for Gomoa West, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, and the Ghana Education Service, for sponsoring the award. Mrs Benyiwa-Doe urged the winners to let their awards spur them to aspire to higher laurels.

The former MP exhorted teachers to be conversant with the Constitution to enable them educate the people in their communities to promote democracy in the country.

Obrifo Ahunako Ahor Aankobea II, Omanhene of Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area, urged teachers to "bring back" the glorious old days when they were regarded as the torchbearers in their communities. He entreated the communities to recognise teachers for the difficult and important roles they played in the education of their children.

Mrs Rose Ernestina Newman, a retired educationist, appealed to individuals and organisations to contribute towards the sustenance of the award programme.