Mrs. Susan Akomeah, the Asante-Akim Central Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has reminded teachers of their dual responsibility, both as parents and teachers, in shaping the lives of students through wise counselling and guidance.

They should go beyond their core teaching duties and treat students left in their care as their own by training and instilling in them moral and nationalistic values to help them to become responsible citizens in the future.

She was speaking at a ceremony to hand over a quantity of sandals and boxes of “Samaritan Purse” to the Municipal Education Directorate at Konongo-Odumase for distribution to pupils in the municipality.

The items were donated by the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, through the Rebecca Foundation, to encourage school attendance among children at the early childhood level.

Mrs. Akomeah said teachers wielded so much influence over their students and that could be harnessed to help make positive moral impact on students – to shun destructive tendencies such as illicit drug use, get rich quick syndrome and other social vices.

“Teachers are well-positioned to make significant impact on students since they spend more time with them than even their own parents. They could help mould their character to enable them grow into responsible adults.”

The MCE said the role of the teacher was critical to the successful implementation of policies and programmes geared towards the transformation of the education sector and urged them to show commitment to their profession as government worked hard to provide infrastructure and logistics.

She also entreated parents not to shirk their responsibilities towards the education of their wards, adding that, they should take keen interest in their progress in school.

As part of efforts to tackle furniture shortfalls in some schools, she said, 225 dual desks had been distributed to 10 schools with 300 more to be procured by the assembly for supply to other schools.

The assembly was poised to commit more resources into education development in the area and Mrs. Akomeah call for all stakeholders to join hands with it to execute the agenda.

Mrs. Christiana Abrafi Ampeh, the Municipal Education Director, received the items and thanked the First Lady for the gesture.

She underlined the need for adequate provision of logistics to enable the directorate to effectively deliver on its mandate.