The Ministry of Education (MoE) through the National Teaching Council (NTC) organized the 2021 Ghana Teacher Prize on the world teacher’s day, Tuesday, 5th October 2021 at Eusbett International Conference Centre, Sunyani in the Bono Region. The event commenced with a two-day symposium and exhibition at Tyco City Hotel, Sunyani on the 3rd and 4th of October, 2021.
The event was attended by the two Deputy Ministers of Education, Hon. Rev. John Ntim Fordjour (General Education) and Hon. Gifty Twum Ampofo. The Minister of Tourism, Hon. Dr. Ibrahim Awal Mohammed represented the President of the Republic of Ghana as the Special Guest of Honour, the Bono Regional Minister, Hon. Justina Owusu Banahene. The Registrar of the National Teaching Council, Dr. Christian Addai-Poku who happens to be the host was also in attendance as well as the Leadership of Agencies under the Ministry of Education, the leadership of the teacher unions, teachers, and some selected students.
Who won Ghana Best Teacher Prize, 2021?
Mr. Ebenezer Kojo Otoo, a 44-year-old teacher of the Winneba Senior High School (SHS) in the Efutu Municipality of the Central Region, was on Tuesday crowned the 2021 Ghana’s Most Outstanding Teacher. For his prize, Mr. Otoo received a GHC250,000.00 cheque for a three-bedroom house sponsored by GLICO Pension, Reverend Sister Jacinta Kwakyewaa, a tutor at St. Francis Senior High Technical School in the Birim Central Municipality of the Eastern Region was adjudged the first runner-up and she received a brand new 4×4 pick-up vehicle from the Prudential Bank. A brand new saloon car was presented to Mr. Nelson Saviour Kwashie of the Awutu Swinton SHS from the Awutu Senya District of the Central Region for being the second runner-up. His award was sponsored by Databank. SIC LIFE insured the top three finalists with a GHS1,000000.00 life insurance package.
The other category of awards went to the following teachers;
- Hellen Tanlugu of Tutco Demonstration Basic School, Sissala East Municipal, Upper West won the best KG teacher, a cash prize of GHC 5,000.00 was given to her by NTC, teaching materials and a training workshop overseas to be sponsored by the Ghana Education Service.
- Michael Ntori of Domeabra M/A Primary School, Sefwi Wiawso Municipal, Western North won the Primary School teacher of the year.
- Solomon Obeng of Asesansu M/A JHS, Wassa Amenfi East, Western Region also won Junior High School Teacher of the year.
- Bismark Kwame Tunu of Bosome Senior High/Technical School, Bosome Freho, Ashanti Region won Senior High School Teacher of the year
- Godfred Daniel Amonoo of Cape Coast Technical Institute, Cape Coast Municipal, Central Region won the TVET teacher of the year.
All these teachers went home with a cash prize of GHC 7000.00.
The non-teaching category was won by the following; Elizabeth Dzator of Yilo Krobo SHS, Somanya, Yilo Municipal, Eastern Region emerged as the best non-teaching staff of the year, Mary Donkor of Dzorwulu Special School, Dzorwulu, Ayawaso West, Greater Accra was the 1st runner-up and Belinda Agyemang of Nkwatia Presby SHS, Kwahu East, Eastern Region was the 2nd runner-up. They all went home with cash prizes of GHC 10,000.00, 7,000.00, and 5,00.00 respectively.
The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Mr. Anthony Boateng, presented Promotion Letters to four (4) award winners at the 2020 Ghana Teacher Prize Ceremony held at Cape Coast in the Central Region. They were; Eric Asomani Asante, Gloria Animah Jnr, and Sandra Osei, 2020 Ghana’s Most Outstanding Teacher, the first and the second positions respectively, were promoted to the new ranks of Assistant Director I, whereas Theodosia Larteley Oppong, 2019 top ten finalists who are 2020 African Union Most Outstanding Teacher Prize winner also got promoted to the rank of a Deputy Director.
In his welcome address, the Registrar of the National Teaching Council Dr. Christian Addai-Poku commended teachers for their invaluable services to humanity. He pointed out that while the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a devastating blow to education, it also brought to the fore the indispensable position of teachers in the education value chain.
