Adukrom Akuapem, April 01, GNA - The Akuapem North District Best Teacher award ceremony for 2008 and 2009 had been held at Adukrom with 43 teaching and non-teaching staff receiving awards for outstanding performance.

The award ceremony, which should have been held last year, was postponed due to lack of financial assistance. The Eastern Regional Director of Education, Mrs Rene Boakye-Boaten, expressed concern about agitations from the teachers' front as a result of the implementation of the new salary structure. She said the role of teachers in the socio-economic development of the country could not be over emphasized and appealed to them to exercise restraint whiles negotiations with government continues. Mrs Boakye-Boaten said school children should not suffer as a result of the agitations since some of them were preparing to sit for their final year examinations.

She commended the award winners and urged them to continue working hard in whatever capacity they find themselves to make the teaching profession an enviable one. Mrs Boakye-Boaten appealed to other teachers who did not win any award to work harder and not be disappointed so that in future they will also be rewarded.

The District Director of Education, Mr Ben B. Cronze, said a number of concrete steps had been put in place to address the challenges confronting the educational sector in the area. He mentioned some of the measures to include intensification of school monitoring, barring of teachers from going to the District Office of the Ghana Education Service (GES) before 1400 hours in order to maximize contact hours.

The other measures were signing of performance agreement with teachers and meeting of circuit supervisors and management periodically at circuit centres to listen to their concerns for redress.

The District Chief Executive, Mr George Opare Addo, said education was undoubtedly the strongest tool for liberating the individual from mental shackles and every form of limitation.