SADIQUE BOATENG IS OVERALL BEST TEACHER (PAGE 3)

A 42-year-old Integrated Science and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) teacher of the T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School (SHS) in Kumasi, Mr Sadique Boateng, has been adjudged the Overall Best Teacher for 2008.
At a well-attended National Best Teacher Awards ceremony at the Sunyani Jubilee Park yesterday, Mr Boateng, currently pursuing a masters degree in ICT at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), received a cheque for GH¢60,000 to be used for the construction of a house at a place of his choice.
Madam Magdalene Mensah, 48, a teacher of French at the Opoku Ware SHS, also in Kumasi, was the first runner-up and she was presented with a Nissan pick-up vehicle valued at $22,000, as well as a computer and its accessories.
Madam Alice Dzifa Gligui Denueme, 40, the Head of the Department of Home Economics at Awudome SHS at Tsito in the Volta Region, who was adjudged the second runner-up, received a Nissan Sunny saloon car valued at $18,009, as well as a computer and its accessories.
As early as 7:00 a.m. people from all walks of life had filled the Jubilee Park to witness the ceremony, which was instituted in 1995 by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to honour teachers for their hard work, commitment and dedicated services.
Earlier, members of GNAT from various part of the country had gone on a float through the principal streets of Sunyani, amid dancing and brass band music.
Among the large audience were members of the Council of State, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), municipal and district chief executives, members of academia, the clergy, educationists, security personnel, chiefs and students.
Also present were the Tanokrom Agoroma of the Sunyani Centre for National Culture, other traditional drummers, as well as the Sunyani SHS Choir, which entertained the crowd with some thrilling performances while they were waiting for the arrival of President J.A. Kufuor, the guest of honour.
The theme for the occasion was, “Quality Teachers for Quality Education: Teachers Matter”.
President Kufuor and his entourage arrived at the venue to a tumultuous welcome, amidst drumming. They immediately went round the park to exchange pleasantries with the people.
In all, 92 teachers and workers of the Ghana Education Service (GES) who had distinguished themselves in their duties were honoured, as well as some foreign volunteers, some national service persons and retired teachers from the host region.
The award winners were presented with computers, gas cookers, double and single-door fridges, native carvings, artefacts, certificates, ghetto blasters and cash.
The GNAT also used the occasion to present school bags containing school uniforms, exercise books and footwear to 20 needy pupils selected from two deprived communities, namely, Nkrankrom in the Sunyani municipality and Ashiayem in the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The major sponsor of the scheme was the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), with the MTN Ghana Foundation providing the prize for the second runner-up.
Other sponsors were SEDCO/Longman, Ultimate Supplies Limited, the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) and the French Embassy.
In a brief interview with newsmen, Mr Boateng said he was highly elated at winning the Overall Best National Teacher award.
According to him, he had received several offers with juicy conditions of service from financial institutions to come and work with them but he turned all of them down, since he was committed to teaching, saying he would want to remain in the teaching profession.
The function was chaired by the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs and Omanhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area, Okatakyie Agyeman Kodom IV, who advised the award winners to do their best in the ensuing years.