Mr Ofosu Asamoah, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister on Friday expressed his worry about the poor performances of some Junior High Schools in the area. He said the students had been recording zero percent passes in the BECE examinations, even though there were many trained teachers there. He therefore urged teachers to be effective and play the pivotal role in the new educational reform by guarding against absenteeism, lateness and to make effective use of instructional hours, exhibit leadership qualities, co-operate with parents and above all be dedicated to the job. Mr Asamoah said this at the 2005 and 2006 Eastern Regional Best Teacher Award ceremony in Koforidua under the theme “The Best Teacher, 50 years after Independence” where 47 hardworking teachers and non-teaching staff were presented with various prizes. Teachers in the first category were given double Decker refrigerators; second prize award winners had colour television sets with the third winners having gas stoves. The occasion coincided with the launching of the regional teachers cloth. Mr Asamoah assured teachers that the government would not relent on its efforts to make the teacher rise to the task, arrest the problems of social and economic deprivation borne out of ignorance and moral decadence and enhance teachers’ social status by way of good remuneration. Mrs Akosua Takyiwaa Adu, Eastern Regional Director of Education, reminded the teachers that with the introduction of the New Education Reform, there was the need for them to be more committed than ever before to ensure the success of the programme. She said the reforms had taken off successfully but normal teething problems were being addressed. “Syllabuses and textbooks supply is on course and as at now the National Textbook trucks are distributing textbooks and other logistics to Metro/Municipal/District Offices countrywide”. Mrs Adu mentioned the installation of pre-paid meters by the end of last year in some schools and the regional education office as some of the challenges facing them and said the issue however needed to be addressed at governmental level. Mrs Ewura Abena-Ahwoi, a retired educationist, who was the guest speaker, suggested that the method of selecting award winners should be reviewed and broadened to include District Directors, Circuit Supervisors, School Management Committees (SMCs) and Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and Regional Directors. She said the awards should not be for only the winners but also for the school and community from which, the winner comes. Source: GNA