Akim Oda (Eastern Region), 21 Jan. '99,

Ms Felicia Duku, Birim South district director of education has warned that henceforth teachers who absent themselves from classes without permission will have the number of days absent deducted from their salaries. She said frequent permissions from classes will henceforth not be entertained and urged head teachers to desist from granting permission to teachers on flimsy excuses. Ms Duku gave the warning at the district's best teachers awards ceremony held at Akum Oda yesterday where nine teachers who distinguished themselves last year were presented with cash prices ranging from 50,000 cedis to 100,000 cedis. The recipients are Mr John Obeng Owusu, Mr Samuel Bright Asare, Ms Dora Kore, Mr Mathew Kwame Zigah and Mr Konadu Gyamera. Others were Mr Edward Donkor, Mr Ibrahim Muhammed, Mr Joseph Nelson Ewusie and Samuel Asare. Ms Duku also warned that drunkenness on the part of teachers will attract very severe punishment adding that heads who do not perform well will be demoted and transferred to work under their juniors. Mr John Effah-Boadi, the District Chief Executive, expressed concern about cases of assault and molestation of teachers by parents in the area and said his office will not take kindly to such acts. He announced that last year, the assembly spent 275.7 million cedis on the provision of infrastructure to schools to enhance teaching.