Ghana Teacher Prize Awards launched

This year’s Ghana Teacher Prize (GTP) to reward hardworking and dedicated teachers in the country has been launched in Accra.

The event, which will include the newly introduced award for Best Differentiated Learning Teacher, will be commemorated on the theme: “Celebrating excellence: Valorising our teachers.”

It recognises the dedication and contribution of teachers to the nation’s educational system.

The event will be held from October 3 to 5, 2024, at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region, to coincide with World Teachers’ Day.

The categories for the awards are: Most Outstanding Teacher, Best College of Education Teacher, Best Teacher in Leadership and Administration, Best Non-Teaching Staff, Best KG Teacher, Best Primary School Teacher, Best JHS Teacher and Best SHS Teacher.

Significance

A Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, who launched the GTP in Accra yesterday, said teachers deserved recognition, because education was a strategic tool for national transformation.

"Every country that has transformed and positioned itself on the path of sustainable and rapid prosperity did so with education as a strategy. There cannot be any education without teachers," he said.

Rev. Fordjour said for the past six years, educators in the country had consistently been recognised among the top 10 finalists in the prestigious Global Teacher Prize.

He encouraged teachers, particularly those in difficult-to-access areas to share their stories of transformation and impact, saying, “let the world hear the transformations that you are leading in a particular community, in that classroom, and in the lives of our learners”.

“And let us sing your praise because you deserve so.

“Without the support of teachers and teacher unions, it will have been extremely challenging to achieve the increase in senior high school enrolment from 830,000 in 2016, to 1.48 million in 2024, including 100 per cent gross pre-primary enrolment,” the deputy minister added.  

Vision

The Director-General of Ghana Education Service, Dr Eric Nkansah, said his outfit aimed to improve learning outcomes for all children without discrimination.

He said the GES was also committed to prioritising teachers' welfare, making the profession more attractive and addressing key issues such as promotions, transfers and ID generation.

Dr Nkansah said the service was also working on the implementation of the GES Management Information System platform, which would house all relevant data on schools, staff, learners and infrastructure.

He thanked the National Teaching Council (NTC), development partners and all sponsors for their efforts in recognising teachers' work across the country.

The Deputy Registrar of Operations, NTC, Lawrence Sarpong, said: “Supporting teachers goes beyond mere recognition. It means providing them with the necessary resources, opportunities for professional development and conducive environments where they can thrive”.

Awards

In the Teacher Category, the Overall winner would receive a three-bedroom apartment; the first runner-up, a 4X4 Pick-up vehicle, while the second runner-up would be presented with a saloon car.

Under the Teacher in Leadership and Administration Category, the winner will receive a saloon car, with the first and second runners-up taking home cash prizes.

For the Non-Teaching Staff Category, the winner would have a saloon car, while cash prizes would be presented to both first and second place winners.

In the College of Education Tutor Category, the winner would receive a 4x4 Pick-up vehicle, with cash prizes going to the first and second place winners.

Sponsors include the Ghana Education Trust Fund, GCB Bank Limited, GES Occupational Pension Scheme, GLICO Pensions, Prudential Bank, Data Bank, Petra Trust, SIC Life, IC Securities and Investcorp.