The top 10 finalists for the 2019 Ghana Teacher Prize have been declared. They included five males and five females from across the country. This was announced at the official launch of the second edition of the Ghana Teacher Prize which took place at the NAT Hall in Accra.
The Minister of State in Charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah at the event said teaching as a profession should not be left to anyone but persons who have undergone training and accredited to do so.
He also advised teachers not to interfere with the natural skills of the pupils with cultural norms in the process of training them.
The Award previously, the National Best Teacher, and changed last year to the Ghana Teacher Awards seeks to project the importance of the profession and the need for high performing teachers across the country to be recognized and celebrated annually.
The change sought to set standards with the international benchmarking aimed at restoring the image of the teaching profession and to motivate teachers for higher performances to meet the AU Teacher and the Global Teacher Prizes.
The top 10 winners included five females and five males from across the various levels and schools in the country.
The 10 finalists are Philipa Darko from Experimental M/A KG School and Munkaila Alhassan from Ghana Muslim Mission SHS, both in the Ashanti Region, Charald Kolevi from Amenano Model D/A School and Ishmael Iddris from Asanteman D/A JHS, both in the Western Region, Christiana Yeyeh from Yumba Special School for the Intellectually Disabled in the Northern Region, Clement Assou from Ofori Panyin SHS, Sabina Dosu from St. Dominic R/C Basic School and Theodosia Oppong from Aburi Girls SHS, all in the E/R. The rest are Mark Cofie from Kantom SHS, Upper West Region and Selorm Gyimah from Brewianiase M/A Primary in the Volta Region.
The theme for this year is, “Young Teachers: The future of the profession.”
The Executive Secretary of the National Teachers Council, Christian Addai-Poku said that Ghana has the possibility of attaining the Global award and appealed that young teachers should be given time to grow into the profession.
Prudential Bank as one of the Sponsors gave out the key to the brand new 4×4 wheel drive for the proposed Winner to the organizers of the awards, with Glico Insurance sponsoring the saloon car to be presented to the second runner up. GCB, Star Oil and GBC including others are sponsors of the award. The Ghana Teacher Prize will be held in October.
Story filed by Nhyira Kwabi
