A senior lecturer at Saint Paul’s Catholic Seminary, Accra, Dr. Louis Atiatorme, has said the importance of teachers in the formation of children should not be taken for granted since no amount of money or payment could quantify their work.

He said teachers had immense joy whenever their students were able to make great strides in life, adding that this happiness could never be bought with money.

He said “anyone who partakes in the formation of children receives immeasurable divine grace. Such is the grace we receive as teachers and people who work with pupils and students”.

Dr. Atiatorme, an Environmental and Science Education Specialist, said this as theguest speaker at the 63rd Founders and Speech and Prize-Giving Day of Fijai Senior High School in the Western Region, on Saturday.

The event was held on the theme: “Facing Challenges of Education in recent times”, brought together current and past students.

He appealed to teachers to relate teaching to practical situations so that students would find fulfillment in whatever they are learning for education to become relevant to the individual and the society at large.

Dr Atiatorme called for strong school/community partnership so that communities could participate in management of education by identifying projects that community members could undertake to support schools.

For quality education to be achieved, Dr. Atiatorme, advocated teamwork, quality assurance, development of strong guidance and counseling services, strengthening of supervision, monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning, as well as ensuring teacher motivation and development.

Mr. Joseph Ocloo Nyamadi, the Headmaster of the school, enumerated a number of academic and sporting successes chalked up by the school during the last academic year.

He said 472 students out of the 475 candidates the school presented for the May/June West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) last year obtained passes in all subjects, and also emerged champions in the regional Mathematics and Science quiz competition.

Mr Nyamadi said the school was crowned as the girls’ basketball champions in the region and performed creditably in various sporting disciplines and debate competitions.

Mr. Nyamadi mentioned some projects undertaken by both the Old Student Associations and Student Representative Council as two boreholes, rehabilitation of administration block ,dining hall and fence wall and the Ghana Education Trust Fund is funding the rehabilitation of the assembly hall,

He appealed for more assistance in the area of staff bungalow, sickbay, electronic library, athletic field, re-equipping the science laboratory, offices for heads of departments as well as descent canteen for day students.

The Vice President of the National House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Lower Axim, Awulae Attibrukusu III who was the guest of honour, said education was the foundation for economic growth and appealed to students to develop the right attitude towards their studies.

Students who excelled in last academic year examinations were presented with awards while the teaching and non-teaching staffs were rewarded for their meritorious contribution towards the success of the school.