By Charles Tawiah
Nyinahin (Ash) March 11, GNA – Ten female Basic School teachers in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region have been honoured for dedicating themselves to serve in deprived communities in the area.
The awards ceremony, which was on the theme “empowering female teachers in the deprived areas”, was organized by the District Directorate of Education, in conjunction with the Bridgete Carlos Foundation, a local Non-governmental Organization (NGO), founded by Mrs. Evelyn Bridget Prempeh, the Headmistress of Mpasatia D/A Basic ‘A’ School.
The award winners included Madam Salifu Hawa Fati from Nsuontem, who was adjudged the overall best teacher, received a double-decker fridge.
Others were Madam Esther Osei, from Botrampa, Musah Sumayatu, from Debra No. two, Rebecca Sarpong, from Asuontaa, Patience Adomah, from Atuntuma, Gloria Osei Kunadu, Enwirem and Princess Agyei, from Debra Camp.
The rest were Vivian Asenso, from Adupri; Deborah Anarfi from Oseikrom, and Benneh Phoebe Afriyie.
They received fridges, television sets, blenders, rice cookers, burners and other prizes, all valued at GHc 8,000.
Some of these teachers have taught in their areas for three to eight years and have sponsored the construction of classroom blocks for their schools and supported orphans and needy pupils in their schools.
Others walk through footpath for about three kilometers to attend school and repeat same back home after closing, while some of them had also struggled to kill snakes, scorpions and other animals, which invaded their classrooms during class hours.
In-spite of all these challenges, they have worked hard to increase attendance and performance of their schools.
Mrs Prempeh, Chief Executive of Bridgeeto Foundation, speaking at the ceremony, said the organization, which was founded in 2017, aimed at providing basic needs such as meals, learning materials, clothing and footwear to pupils, but later extended it to hardworking female teachers in disadvantaged communities, due to what she experienced one day.
She explained that, when visiting the Seseko D/A KG School to distribute some items to needy kids, while she was carrying a pregnancy, she walked for 12 kilometers to and from the place because the road was unmotorable.
This drove her into action to support her fellow female teachers in such underprivileged communities and described that as her reason to spread the donations across the whole district.
Ms. Ama Adwubi Asafu-Adjaye, the District Director of Education, commended the Foundation for the initiative since it was in line with their rolled-out development drive initiated in February 2023 to encourage and keep the few committed teachers who accepted postings to the area.
She said, the pupil-teacher ratio was low but after mutual and collaborative efforts with partners and stakeholders, an improvement of 40 percent postings was achieved through the construction of boreholes, provision of teaching aids, sports kits and awards for teachers.
Ms. Asafu-Adjaye called for support from other donors to enable the directorate to expand the awards to cover more teachers in the area which is one of the most deprived districts in Ghana.
Nana Oti Boa-Duah, Akwamuhene of Nyinahin Traditional Area, who chaired the function, commended the awardees, organizers of the program and all teachers in the area for their dedication to duty.
GNA
KOM/BM