My First Day at School: Tatali/Sanguli DCE Urges Teachers to Give Their Best

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Tatali/Sanguli in the Northern Region, Hon. Mary Tagba, has urged teachers in the district to demonstrate commitment to their profession by reporting to school regularly and giving their best to the education of children.

She said teachers had accepted the responsibility of shaping the future of children and must therefore approach their work with dedication, irrespective of the challenges associated with working in deprived communities.

Hon. Mary Tagba made the call on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, when she visited selected public schools in the Tatali/Sanguli District as part of activities to mark “My First Day at School” for the 2026 academic year.

The programme, organised to welcome children entering Kindergarten and Primary One, is intended to encourage school enrolment, regular attendance and retention while creating a friendly environment for children beginning their formal education.

During the visit, the DCE inspected school facilities, interacted with teachers and pupils and assessed enrolment and attendance on the first day of the academic year.

She expressed satisfaction with the level of teacher attendance at the schools she visited, particularly schools in communities outside the district capital, where teacher absenteeism has sometimes been a challenge.

“I came out today to look at the structures and also to look at the enrolment on the first day. I would want to say that I am impressed with the children and the teachers. Most of the teachers were at post,” she said.

Hon. Tagba noted that while teacher attendance in the township schools was generally encouraging, schools in communities on the outskirts of the district sometimes experienced delays in the arrival of teachers at the beginning of the academic year.

“But the schools that I visited today, I am so much impressed, especially where I went and the teachers did not come from the community and yet they were at post,” she said.

She singled out teachers at one of the schools beginning primary education for commendation, noting that some had travelled from Tamale and the Nanumba area but still reported to school on time.

“The teachers did very well. They were not natives, yet they came to school today,” she stated.

The DCE, who has a background in teaching, appealed to teachers in the district not to let the area’s deprived nature affect their commitment to work.

“We know the entire district is a deprived area, but then we have agreed to be professional teachers. At the end of the month, we go to take our salaries. Salary indicates work done; we are being paid for the work,” she said.

She further appealed to teachers to see their profession not only as a means of earning a salary but also as an opportunity to positively influence the lives of children.

“I want to plead to the conscience of all teachers in my district. Not because of the salary alone that you work. I think we work also for the blessings of God,” Hon. Tagba said.

According to her, teachers who approached their duties with sincerity, commitment and the fear of God would ultimately have their efforts rewarded.

She encouraged teachers of all religious backgrounds to remain committed to their work and trust that their dedication would yield positive results.

“If we serve well, the standard salary that we receive, God will bless it and it will meet our needs,” she said.

Hon. Tagba also drew from her personal experience as a teacher, saying she had never regretted choosing the teaching profession.

“I never regretted being a teacher. I was a happy person, and I think that destiny and the blessings of God moved me from teaching to another level to serve my people,” she said.

She therefore urged teachers to remain committed to their profession and make the education and welfare of children their priority.

“My dear teachers in the district, let’s serve and serve well, hoping that God in His own way will bless us and grant us our heart’s desire,” she appealed.

The DCE also expressed concern about teachers who failed to report to school on the first day, warning that their absence could negatively affect pupils.

“The teachers who couldn’t come today, I also want to appeal to you to try and report to work because all children are at risk,” she cautioned.

Hon. Tagba said children should be regarded as valuable gifts and treated with care, patience and dedication because their future depended significantly on the quality of education and guidance they received.

“Children are blessings from God. They are gifts from God. If we serve and handle them wholeheartedly with the fear of God, I believe God in His own way will also meet us at the point of our needs,” she said.

She also encouraged teachers to make learning attractive and create a welcoming classroom environment capable of motivating pupils to attend school consistently.

The DCE was accompanied on the visit by the District Director of Education, Zakaria Masahudu, and other officials of the District Assembly and the Ghana Education Service.

The “My First Day at School” activities formed part of efforts by the district authorities and education stakeholders to encourage parents to enrol their children in school, support their education and take an active interest in their academic performance.

Hon. Tagba urged parents and guardians to complement the efforts of teachers by ensuring that their children attend school regularly and receive the necessary support at home.