New Edubiase (Ash), June 27, GNA - An educationist has expressed concern about the high rate of alcoholism among teachers in the Adansi South District.

He said he was not happy with the way some teachers continue to drag the name of the teaching profession into the mud with professionally, socially and morally unacceptable behaviour in the district.

Mr Joseph Kwabena Onyina, the Adansi South District Director of Education, said this at the 2003/2004 Best Teacher Award ceremony at New Edubiase at the weekend.

He mentioned drunkenness, smoking, assaults, excessive borrowing, and crediting as some of the problems facing teachers in the district. Mr Onyina warned that the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the district directorate will no longer tolerate any immoral behaviour by teachers in the district and urged the teachers to refrain from such acts.

He also called on the chiefs and people in the various communities to desist from acts that would derail the education of their children. Mr Kofi Britwum, the Ashanti Regional Director of Education, appealed to the Adansi South District Assembly to sponsor many teachers to teacher training colleges to reduce the number of untrained teachers in the district who make up about half the number of teachers in the area.

Mr Soka Sally of New Edubiase District Assembly Primary School won the Best Teacher award in the primary category and received a 14-inch colour television.

Mr Robert Brobbey of the Fumso Junior Secondary School won the JSS category and had a 14-inch television while the best science teacher award went to Mr Anthony O. Sarpong of Hwiremoase who also had a 14-inch television.

Mr Abraham Offei Asiedu of New Edubiase Secondary/Technical School won the best general teacher for senior secondary school and received a ghetto blaster.