Nkawie (Ash), March 8, GNA- Mrs Ophelia Okani-Wiredu, the Atwima district 2003 overall best teacher, has said the effective development of the nation depends on the selflessness and dedication of teachers. She has therefore advised her colleagues to work very hard to produce the manpower needs of the country.

Mrs Okani-Wiredu was speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Nkawie after Mr Charles Yeboah, the Atwima District Chief Executive had presented her with a 2.3 million-cedis refrigerator in addition to a site plan of a building plot valued at over 10 million cedis donated by Nana Boakye Badu Danquah, Achiasehene near Atwima-Mim on Saturday. She urged parents and guardians to invest heavily in their ward's education.

Atwima enrolment and retention drive yield positive results

Nkawie (Ash), March 8, GNA- Enrolment and retention in Atwima district basic schools increased from 41,900 in 2003 to 52,540 in 2004, while the senior secondary schools also increased from 4,690 to 5,656, within the same year.

Mr Eddy Obeng-Darko, Atwima District Director of Education, who disclosed this, said the district obtained 83.6 percent and placed second in the Ashanti region and 24th nationwide in the 2003 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Nkawie Secondary/Technical School also came within the first 100 in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) nationwide. Mr Obeng-Darko was speaking at this year's best teachers awards ceremony at Nkawie on Saturday when 15 teachers received various items valued at over 28 million cedis donated by the Atwima district assembly.

The items included television sets, refrigerators, mattresses, standing fans, suit cases, burning stoves and cylinders, wax prints, ghetto blusters, wall clocks and cooking utensils.

Despite the growths and achievements, Mr Obeng-Darko said lack of adequate classrooms, teachers' living accommodation especially in the rural deprived areas, inaccessible and impassable roads, are some problems militating against quality education delivery in the district. The district director commended the award winners for their sacrifice, commitment and dedication and advised them to serve as role models in their communities.

Atwima District Assembly donates items to best teachers

Nkawie (Ash), March 8, GNA- The Atwima District Assembly has honoured 15 best teachers for 2003 in the district with various items worth over 28 millon cedis as awards.

The occasion coincided with the 47th Independence Anniversary celebration held at Nkawie on Saturday.

Nana Boakye Badu Danquah II, Achiasehene, donated a building plot valued at 10 million cedis to Mrs Ophelia Okani-Wiredu of Sepaase junior secondary school for being adjudged the overall best teacher and received a Samsung refrigerator worth over 2.3 million cedis. Nana Danquah had earlier donated two million cedis in support of the Atwima district education directorate's mock basic education certificate examination.

Miss Esther Yeboah of Amadum-Adankwame Methodist school came first in the primary division and received an eight-inch standard density vono-mattress, Mr Peter Appiah of Nkontomire came second and had a stove and a gas cylinder while Miss Faustina Duah of Sepaase placed third and went home with a suit case.

Miss Ophelia Okani Wiredu on behalf of the award winners, was grateful to the district assembly and the education directorate for their recognition and honour and pledged to work harder to improve education in the district.