By Jesse Ampah Owusu
Accra, Oct. 08, GNA – Mr Eric Asomani Asante, a Science and ICT Teacher at Naylor SDA Basic School in Tema, has been adjudged the overall winner of Vodafone Ghana Foundation’s National STEM Teacher of the Year award.
He was presented with a plaque, medal, certificate, laptop, modem and one-year internet subscription.
He was followed by Mr Solomon Nchor, a teacher at Obuasi Senior High School in the Ashanti Region, who was the first runner-up and Mr Emmanuel Gambil Ditamina, second runner-up, a teacher at the Kongo Junior High School in the Upper East Region.
The first runner-up was also presented with a tablet, modem, a plaque, certificate, and six-month data subscription, whereas the second runner-up was presented with a tablet, modem, plaque, certificate, and three-month data subscription.
The Awards, instituted by the Vodafone Ghana Foundation in partnership with the Ghana Education Service, rewarded outstanding teachers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.
In all, 26 teachers were shortlisted nationwide for the awards from the primary level to the Senior High School level.
The event also climaxed the weeklong Teachers Week celebration in commemoration of the International Teachers’ Day held on October 05, 2022 by the Ghana Education Service and other stakeholders in the education sector.
Mr Asante expressed gratitude to the organisers for the reward, saying, it would motivate him to continue to give his best in teaching and mentoring students.
He admonished his colleague teachers to continue to give off their best regardless of the challenges they faced, adding that, their hard work and dedication would pay off in future.
Mr Asante was also the winner of the 2020 National Best Teacher award and had been undertaking innovations in the teaching of STEM, including offering free online classes for students during the lockdown and providing educational tools and equipment to some deprived schools.
Reverend Amaris Nana Adjei Perbi, Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, said they sought to intensify the teaching and learning of STEM education in schools through the award scheme.
He said that would help champion digitilisation and technology in the country’s education sector.
Rev. Perbi said the awards was transparent and fair, saying, nominations were opened for all STEM teachers to apply, and that 26 applicants were selected competitively for the national best award.
Madam Olivia Serwaa Opare, Director of Science Education, Ghana Education Service, said government was committed to advancing STEM education in the country through the construction of state-of-the-art STEM centres across the country.
She said they were convinced that STEM education was the future of the country and was, therefore, committed to providing infrastructure and equipping teachers in that regard.
Madam Opare admonished teachers to be innovative in their work and not always be relying solely on government.
Other awards presented at the event, included the Best Primary School STEM Teacher Award, won by Henry Amankwaa; Best JHS STEM Teacher Award, presented to Justina Entsua Mensah; Best SHS STEM Teacher Award, won by Rachel Adu-Kumi; Daasebrɛ Special Needs Award, won by Mahamadu Sirina, and Overall Best Region in STEM Education, Ashanti Region.
The rest were Digital Choice Award, won by Gabriella Ofosu Boatemaa; Socially Responsible Teacher Award, won by Quits-Aphetsi Oswald; Vodafone Instant School Award, given to Christopher Owusu Boakye; Field NGO Supporting Teachers in STEM presented to Youngstars Development Initiative, and STEM Lifeline Support Service Award, presented to GES – Science Education Unit.
GNA