Bolgatanga, April 25, GNA - Teachers and non-teaching staff of the Bolgatanga Municipal Directorate of Education on Friday received various awards valued 18 million cedis for their dedication to duty in 2002. Ms Felicitas Gandaa, Headmistress of Bukere Primary School in Bolgatanga and Mr Clement Bafana of Pelungu Junior Secondary School (JSS) were adjudged the best teachers in the primary and JSS categories respectively.

They each received a 21-inch colour television, 300,000 cedis and a certificate.

Madam Freda Atanga of Nyariga-Doone Girl's Primary School and Mr Maziri Yakubu of Bolgatanga Nurul-Islam JSS came second in the primary and JSS categories respectively and were given a bicycle, 200,000 cedis and a certificate each.

Award winners taking the third place each received a ghetto blaster, 100,000 cedis and a certificate.

Two other teachers, Mr Peter Kazuni of Bolgatanga Adabase Primary and Miss Bashirata Yakubu of Nurul-Islam JSS received a 21-inch colour television and a bicycle respectively for their outstanding performance in the teaching of basic science.

In the non-teaching staff category, Madam Memuna Damba of Bolgatanga Girls Secondary (BOGISS), Mr Peter Paul Debuo of Bolgatanga Secondary (BIGBOSS) and Mr Moses Apana of Zamse Secondary/Technical were also honoured for their commitment to duty.

The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Rockson Bukari said education formed the foundation for the development every country and the Assembly was, therefore, spending more than 60 per cent of its annual revenue on the improvement of teaching and learning.

He pledged that the assembly would continue to support the award scheme to motivate teachers to work assiduously.

Mr Nicholas Nayembil, Acting Municipal Director of Education, commended the award winners for their contribution to the improvement of education and urged others workers to also work hard.

Mr Clement Bafana, one of the award winners, on behalf of his colleagues thanked the organisers of the scheme for honouring them and said they would continue to work harder towards the development of education.

The 2002 best teacher and worker award of the Municipal Educational Directorate could not take place last year due to the lack of funds. The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly released 12 million cedis to support the scheme this year.