TEACHERS ADVISED TO SHOW COMMITMENT TO WORK (PAGE 11, MAY 5, 2010)

THE Akuapem North District Director of Education, Mr Ben B. Cronze, has advised teachers to show commitment to their work and refrain from negative practices that undermined their efficiency and effectiveness.
He cautioned that teachers who misconducted themselves to retard the academic performance of students and the standard of education would be dealt with.
"Since the district education directorate will no longer tolerate any zero per cent passes in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), teachers must refrain from absenteeism, drunkenness, lateness and the use of mobile phones during teaching hours" Mr Cronze stated.
Speaking at a dinner for basic school teachers at Mamfe last Saturday, Mr Cronze said one of the major factors undermining the standard of education in the area had partly been blamed on the teachers' poor attitude towards work.
The dinner was hosted by the Chief of Mamfe, Osabrima Ansah Sasraku III, to show his appreciation to the efforts being made by basic school teachers at Mamfe and its surrounding communities to improve the poor standard of education in the district.
The director of education said in 2008, out of the 2000 candidates presented for the BECE, only 38 students obtained aggregate six or better, while 28 students had the same grade in the 2009 examination.
He added that between 2008 and 2009, two junior high schools in the area recorded zero per cent passes in the BECE.
To improve on the academic performance in the area, Mr Cronze therefore, urged the teachers to change their attitude towards the profession, adding that the education directorate would no longer accommodate any negative behaviours on the part of teachers.
"You must remember that once you are given an appointment letter after your training to go to the classrooms and teach, you must refrain from all lackadaisical attitudes that undermine your efficiency and effectiveness to offer your best", he stated.
He reminded the teachers to be mindful of the blessings associated with offering their best to raise the academic performance of the pupils and students entrusted into their care, adding "a great teacher receives his/her blessings not only from God but from the very little ones entrusted into his or her care".
The district also expressed concern over the long distance some of the teachers had to commute everyday to teach and therefore appealed to the government and other stakeholders to help provide accommodation for the teachers.
Osabarim Sasraku expressed his commitment and that of the traditional authority to raise the standard of education in the town and its surrounding communities.
He called for support from other stakeholders, especially the Akuapem North District Assembly, to organise series of mock examinations for future BECE candidates from the town and other nearby communities so as to prepare the students adequately for examinations.
The Mamfehene, who presented an undisclosed amount of money to the teachers as a token of his appreciation, used the occasion to introduce a number of students from the University of Ghana who would travel to the area to teach students in the basic school every weekend.