MP for Madina honour 14 Best Teachers to Mark 1yr in Parliament
In fulfilment of his election campaign promise to transform education in his constituency, the Member of Parliament for Madina, Hon Francis Xavier Sosu has honoured 14 Best Teachers and other individuals within the constituency for their exceptional works over the years.
The maiden Best Teachers award dubbed, “Services Above Self Best Teacher Awards” was instituted by the MP during activities to mark his 100 days in office as the elected Member of Parliament for Madina in the 2020 general elections in Ghana.
True to his words, Hon Francis Sosu who has over the years been a pro-bono lawyer for the less privileged and downtrodden in Ghana and beyond, on Friday, January 7, 2022, honoured a total of 14 hardworking teachers to mark his one year in Ghana’s parliament as a Legislator representing the good people of Madina of the Greater Accra region.
The overall best teacher went to Clement Oscar Gaize of Madina Cluster of Schools, who has been teaching for the past 10 years, took home a posh Saloon car and some souvenirs as his prize.
The First Runner Up or second-best Teacher went to Hilda Owusu, who took home a double refrigerator and some souvenirs, while the second Runners Up or third best position went to two teachers, Christiana Asante and Ama Darko, whom the vetting committee admitted were all qualified per their assessments criteria.
The two female awardees who have been teaching for over 15 years respectively, also received a fridge each, a Fashion design ticket to Ezel Fashion of Madina for their own choice of a number of designer dresses worthy of GHS1, 000.00 each.
Teachers who received consolation prizes also took home fridges, citations among other things.
Speaking at the Award ceremony attended by high profile political leaders, traditional and Islamic Chiefs and residents of the Constituency, Hon Francis said he remained committed to working hard to bring the needed transformation to the education sector of the constituency.
According to him, through teachers many citizens including himself have become who they are and that teachers deserve better reward and honour in society, stressing, “Teachers see the light at the end of the tunnel better than we members of the society.”
He said teachers are the bedrock of every nation development for the go extra to add value to human life and that without teachers, a nation could not develop on its own, hence the “The Sosu Best Teachers Award,” to honour teachers for their extraordinary hard work, sacrifices and dedication over the years despite the unpleasant conditions of services.
While commending the teachers, especially the awardees for their hard work, Lawyer Sosu, who is currently the Deputy Ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament assured the teachers and the people of Madina of his unalloyed commitment to the welfare of teachers so far people like him remained in politics.
He recounted some of the achievements made in the past year as MP in education, health, youth skills and entrepreneurship development, roads infrastructure, jobs opportunities and expressed the hope that the Award Scheme would inspire, motivate and encourage teachers to give up their best to improve and transform the education sector in the Madina constituency.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, a former Running mate to John Mahama of the NDC for the 2020 presidential election who speak as the Guest of Honour commended the Madina MP for such a novel initiative as a first time MP and charged him not to give up on his efforts, especially the support for the education sector.
She said teachers have changed many lives and that had it not been teachers, many prominent citizens would not have been where they are and called on Ghanaians to support every initiative that sought to improve the welfare of teachers.
Prof Naana who is also a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast added that teachers hold the future of every nation, explaining that, “parents send their children to school with the hope they will become someone better in the future and that future hope is in the hands of a teacher.”
She commended teachers, especially the awardees for their extraordinary sacrifices over the years to impact knowledge on the young ones and urged that teachers in the country help each other by way of organizing peer reviews programmes so they are able to identify some of the gaps while building their own confidence.
In his remarks, the Founder of SAMSON AMOATENG Foundation, the key sponsor of the Madina Best Teachers Awards, Prophet Samson Amoateng said, Teachers play a pivotal role in society and their effort must be rewarded to inspire and encourage them to impact proper knowledge on the future leaders of the country.
He said the adage that, ‘teachers reward is in Heaven” should be used by the society to deny them the needed support and motivation, pointing that, the Foundation placed a premium on education and had sponsored several brilliant but needy children at the Senior High school and the Tertiary institutions.
The Man of God however assured that the SAMSON AMOATENG Foundation, a non-profit and non-partisan organisation would continue to support the Teacher Awards as part of its contribution to the development of education in the constituency where the Church and the Charitable Foundation operates.
Mr Tim King Avordeh, the Chief Executive of the Eduscheme in the Office of the Member of Parliament, said the MP education scheme is poised to deliver more intervention programmes that would help transform education in Madina.
He said, in addition to the Best Teachers Awards which is set to be replicated yearly, the MP is also sponsoring a number of school children from poor family backgrounds to further their educations up to the tertiary level and assured that all the policies are implemented for beneficiaries on merits devoid of personal and political discrimination.
Other dignitaries that graced the event and took turns to give solidarity comments to the teachers and the MP for putting up the awards were Hon Helen Adjoa Ntoso, Mp FOR Krachi East, Professor Joshua Alabi, former Vice-Chancellor of UPSA, Madam Anne Sophie AVE, Frances Ambassador to Ghana and representative of British High Commissioner, Mr Abdul Razak Yakubu.
Mr Oscar Gaize, the Best Teachers Award winner in his remarks said the Award came to him as a surprise as he never thought that his effort would be recognised in such a great manner.
According to him, he entered into the teaching services 10 years ago after National Services and have taught in many schools within the Madina Education Circuit and does his best to ensure that he remains in the classroom to impact knowledge onto the future leaders.
He, however, urged his colleague’s teachers to use his reward as a motivation to give up their best as they would be recognized someday.
Some of the teachers who spoke to EXPRESSNEWSGHANA after the event said they are inspired by the effort of the Madina MP for recognizing the role of teachers which for them, was the first time ever in the constituency.
A teacher who identified herself as Madam Comfort Jabari, who taught for over 25 years but is now a Headmistress of Madina M/A Primary School said she is motivated by the Sosu Best Teacher award and that it would not only encourage teachers but it has diffused the adage that teachers reward is not on earth and but in Heaven.
She commended the MP for the initiative and expressed the hope that it would be replicated yearly for other deserving teachers who have sacrificed their entire cycle of life in the classroom imparting knowledge to children in the constituency.
Another teacher, Chapus Kojo Edwards said the MP Best Teacher Award initiated would motivate him to remain in the teaching services and give up his best no matter the situation.
According to him, he is barely two years in the teaching services and already have the feeling of the poor condition of teachers but noted that policies like the awards would keep many of them in the classroom since they now know their reward is now not only in Heaven but could be rewarded on earth as well.
“These are the kinds of leaders the country needs. Visionaries who think about the ordinary people on the streets and serve them selflessly with a genuine heart like Hon. Sosu is doing. It is not how long one stays in power or holds a position, but the positive things one is able to do with it within their time of service.
“Personally, I think that Hon. Sosu has a great future in politics and should be encouraged and supported to keep up his good works for country and God,” a Resident who identified himself as Abdallah said.
Source: expressnewsghana.com
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