The Eastern Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) will on Thursday August 8, 2024 honour 66 workers, made up of teaching and non-teaching staff to recognise their demonstration of exceptional commitment to excellence and innovation.
The ceremony, which forms part of this year’s World Teachers Day celebration, is aimed at recognising the crucial role that teachers and staff play in inspiring change and guiding students towards a brighter future.
Chief among the essence of the award is to motivate staff to continue delivering exceptional services, complement the government’s efforts to develop a high-quality education system for future generations.
This came to light during a press briefing held by the Eastern Regional Director of GES, Mrs. Ivy Asantewaa Owusu, on Tuesday, ahead of the ceremony, which is under the theme: “Inspiring Change: Recovery Begins with Teachers”.
Addressing the media, Mrs. Owusu emphasised the pivotal role that teachers play in spearheading transformation and empowering students to reach their full potential, adding that teachers are the backbone of the education system, inspiring and shaping young minds to become future leaders and change-makers.
According to her, the award ceremony is a celebration of excellence in education, recognising the vital role that teaching and non-teaching staff play in shaping the future of the communities, as well as to highlight the importance of educators in driving positive change and leading the recovery efforts in the education sector.
She explained that the awardees were shortlisted out of an initial 407 applicants, after they had been subjected to a thoroughly review by a vetting committee on three thematic areas of: Outstanding Teachers Award (OTA) with key elements of high demonstration of exceptional instructional skills and commitment to student success, Outstanding Non-Teaching Staff Award (ONTSA), considering the provision of exemplary support services to ensure a conducive learning environment.
Other criteria to be considered include staff who have gone above and beyond their normal duties, contributing to curriculum development, extracurricular activities and other initiatives that enhance the quality of education in the region.
Notably, only one outstanding individual will be crowned the ultimate winner from Kindergarten (KG) Education, Primary Education, Junior High School (JHS) Education, Senior High School (SHS) Education, Teachers in leadership and administration roles across all the District and Municipal Directors of GES.
Meanwhile, out of the shortlisted candidates, 66 exceptional individuals will be honoured with awards, including: Ultimate Winner, First Runner-up, Second Runner-up, Third Runner-up among other recognition positions.
Mrs. Owusu disclosed that the awardees will take home an array of exciting prizes including deep freezers, laptops, flat-screen TVs and Gas cooker burners, among others.
However, the pièce de résistance is reserved for the ultimate winner of the 2024 Outstanding Achievement Awards who will drive home a brand-new Hyundai saloon car donated by Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Abuakwa South Constituency in the Eastern Region.
Adding that, this coveted prize is the crowning glory of the awards, symbolizing the highest recognition for exceptional dedication and contribution to education.
Touching on the theme, she underscored the significance of recognizing and celebrating the exceptional contributions of teachers who are instrumental in driving positive change and fostering a brighter future for generations to come.
Mrs. Owusu acknowledged the challenges teachers encounter in remote and underserved areas but encouraged them to embrace their postings with optimism and dedication and assured them that GES recognizes their hard work and commitment, and will continue to provide motivation and support to teachers serving in these areas, as a testament to their invaluable contributions to education.
Giving the breakdown of the total strength, the Eastern Regional Director of GES hinted that the regional has a total of 42,481 encompassing of 29,023 teachers and 13,458 non-teaching staff who collectively have contributed to the region’s educational landscape, adding to significant workforce essential for providing effective education and support services to students across the region.
She finally extended her heartfelt gratitude to the numerous organizations, individuals, financial institutions and departments that have generously contributed to the success of the awards ceremony through diverse means.
