Mrs Faith Aku Dzakpasu, a teacher at the Greta ‘D’ Shepherd Basic School at Awoshie in the Greater Accra Region, has been adjudged Ghana’s Most Outstanding Teacher at the 2023 Ghana Teacher Prize held in Takoradi.
She received a three-bedroom house worth GHS450,000 as well as ‘promotion out of turn,’ an educational trip to Singapore, GHS1,000,000 life insurance and a scholarship for further studies.
Madam Isabella Wussah-Tetteh, a teacher at Sege D/A Primary and Kindergarten (KG), Greater Accra Region, emerged First Runner-up, and her prizes were a 4×4 pick-up vehicle, scholarship and promotion out of turn.
Mr Fredous Iddi-Amin, from the Ogbojo Presbyterian Basic School, in the Greater Accra Region, emerged Second Runner-up and received a saloon car, scholarship and promotion out of turn.
Mr Benjamin Semenyo Lifeson, a tutor at the Presbyterian College of Education in the Eastern Region, was adjudged the Best College of Education Tutor, and received a 4×4 pick-up vehicle.
Mr Abraham Fletcher, Sefwi-Wiawso Municipal Director of Education in the Western North Region, got a saloon car, life insurance and a trip to Singapore as his prizes for emerging the Best Teacher in Leadership and Administration.
Mr Andrews Danso, a Principal Administrative Officer at the Apersua Community Senior High School in the Eastern Region, was adjudged Best Non-Teaching Staff, and his prizes were a saloon car, life insurance and a trip to Singapore.
Other award winners included Madam Racheal Afriyie, a teacher at Pabi M/A Primary School in the Eastern Region, who was the Best KG Teacher, Madam Barikisu Suleiman, from Answaru-Deen Islamic Basic School, Greater Accra Region; Best Primary School Teacher.
Mr Jibiliru Amadu Nankpa, from TUTCO Demonstration Basic School in the Upper West Region, was the Best Junior High School Teacher, with Mr Peter Adu-Boahene, of the Kumasi Technical Institute, being the Best Senior High and Technical School (SHTS) Teacher. Mr Sayibu Yakubu, a teacher at the Yendi Senior High School, won the Best SHS Teacher.
The Best Teacher Award was instituted in 1995 and later rebranded as Ghana Teacher Prize in 2017, to motivate teachers to aim at higher performance and restore the respect of the profession.
It is also to retain qualified teachers and improve their work performance and overall effectiveness in the classroom.
The ceremony was held as part of activities to mark this year’s World Teachers’ Day, on the theme: “The Teachers We Need for the Education We Want: The Global Imperative to Reverse the Teacher Shortage.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, joined by the Minister of Education, Dr Osei Adutwum, and other officials from the Ghana Education Service (GES) presented the Most Outstanding Teacher award to Mrs Faith Aku Dzakpasu.
She expressed joy and gratitude at the recognition and honour done her and encouraged her colleagues to work hard to receive similar rewards in the future.
Dr Eric Nkansah, the Director-General, GES, congratulated the award winners for their outstanding contributions to the advancement of quality education in the country.
He said the theme shed light on the significant role teachers played in society, adding: “It is consistent with our vision of prioritising teacher welfare and professional development to consolidate the gains in the education sector.”
Dr Christian Adda-Poku, the Registrar, National Teaching Council (NTC), expressed appreciation to President Akufo-Addo for gracing the occasion and said his presence reaffirmed government’s commitment to its ‘teach-first’ policy.
Since 2018, the NTC, with its partners, had transformed the beauty of the Ghana Teacher Prize celebrations, the quality of the prizes and the scope of the various categories.
He expressed delight at the consistency of the programme, which had never been in arrears.