Kumasi, Oct. 6, GNA - Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Monday told the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to work in close collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to resolve the critical problem of getting teachers to accept to serve in deprived areas in the country.

He described the situation where some teachers refused posting to some areas as a major source of concern to the government. Alhaji Mahama, who was addressing the Ninth National Teachers Awards Day celebration at the Jackson Park in Kumasi, said with the extension of electricity, potable water and on-going building of teachers' quarters in many rural communities, there should not be any reason why this problem should persist.

The theme for the celebration was: "Teachers: Opening Doors to a Better World".

The Vice President stated that the government remained committed to ensuring that monitoring and supervision was strengthened in all basic and second cycle institutions.

"There is more strict and effective monitoring and supervision going on in private institutions and that good practice must show up in public schools also".

Alhaji Mahama noted that for the country's education system to fulfil its role as an instrument for social change and economic growth, there was the need to put more investment into it. He said it was in recognition of this that the government would in spite of the very difficult economic circumstances facing the nation continue to increase the level of investment in the Education Sector to ensure "at least, reasonable comfort and convenience for the Ghanaian teacher.

"As the nation makes these sacrifices, we expect that our teachers will reciprocate in diverse ways. Clearly the moulding of the child is influenced in many ways by teachers in the school environment." It is for this reason that the attitudes, conduct and activities of teachers as role models are considered absolutely important and should be pursued with dedication, diligence and commitment," he said.

Alhaji Mahama paid glowing tribute to all hardworking teachers and asked those, who somehow under-utilise their contact hours with pupils and students to raise the quality of their performance.

"Within the category of teachers needing urgent positive change are the ones who by words or deeds, undermine authority and discipline in their schools and the few others, who descend to the low levels of even encouraging pupils or students to misbehave," the Vice President stated.

Mr Kwame Amo-Dako, National President of GNAT, repeated that the Association was not opposed to the National Health Insurance Scheme but that it was uncomfortable with aspects of the funding of the scheme and other related operational issues which required further discussion and clarification.

He said it would be helpful if Ghanaians were apprised of government's innovative strategies to collect premiums from the informal sector that constituted the larger proportion of the working population.

Mr Amo-Dako pointed out that the main asset for the delivery of quality education was the teacher and said any programme that was put in place to improve the quality of education must go hand in hand with improving the status and working conditions of teachers else "we shall be chasing the whirlwind".

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, in a welcoming address called on teachers to display a high level of dedication, sacrifice and selflessness to help raise the standard of the country's education.

He noted that the Best Teacher Ward Scheme was designed to motivate teachers and give them the needed recognition in society.