By James Esuon
Agona Swedru (C/R), May 27, GNA – The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has reiterated calls on the government to take swift action to give adequate motivation for teachers to enhance their welfare.
“A Well-motivated teacher is inspired and encouraged to give up his or her utmost best to offer quality teaching that will help train the child properly to become a responsible leader,” Mr Daniel Lavoe, Agona West Municipal GNAT Chairman has said.
He made the call when he addressed the 7th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of GNAT at Agona Swedru in the Central Region.
The conference coincided with the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Ghana Education Service (GES) where discussions on the achievements, challenges and the way forward were made.
Mr Lavoe said the government ought to give unwavering support to teachers to offer them the needed assistance to deliver quality service to the nation to aid the well- being of children.
The Municipal GNAT Chairman said the conference, the highest decision body, was held every four years for members to discuss and adopt vital issues concerning welfare of teachers and submitted to regional and national conferences to be adopted.
He stated that since the inception of GES 50 years ago, they had managed basic and SHS education to give enormous opportunities to many Ghanaian youths to be educated.
Mr Lavoe said education had given impetus to children to study various subjects from basic to SHS, emphasising that the current government was trying to offer free tertiary education for first years depending on its financial muscles.
The Chairman said the GES needed adequate investments and recognitions from government to enable teachers to perform creditably to enhance quality teaching and learning.
Mr Lavoe called on the government to pay teachers well with enhanced motivations, adding, that payment of car maintenance allowances must be mechanised into salaries of teachers.
He expressed concern about the centralised policy to post newly trained teachers by the government which had created more vacancies in certain schools in rural areas that needed teachers urgently.
He, therefore, suggested that District Directors of Education should be allowed to make the postings to avoid overstaffing in some schools.
Mr Lavoe also appealed to the Agona West MCE and MP to use their good offices to provide adequate furniture as well as staff common rooms for teachers.
The Chairman called on the MP, MCE and many other institutions and companies to institute befitting awards for teachers, especially those in the Agona West to serve as motivation and encouragement to enhance quality teaching and learning.
Elections were conducted to choose new executives to steer the affairs of Agona West GNAT for the next four years.
Mr Lavoe was re-elected unopposed as Chairman with Mr Abubakar Adams as Vice Chairman, Mr Ebenezer Okyere- Treasurer, Mr Daniel Amoani, Trustee and Mr Joel Acquah, Youth Coordinator.
The rest are Madam Helena Hudson-GNATLAS, Mr Kenneth Egyir -SHS representative, Mr Felix Owusu Tawiah – Basic School representative and Mr Eleanor Mensah- Education Administration representative.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey/Linda Asante Agyei