The Association of Retired Professional Teachers of Ghana (ARPTOG) says it is ready to offer its services for the development and delivery of education across the country. Consequently, members say they should be given more roles to play in the educational system. “We have the knowledge; we have the skills and appropriate expertise to help boost the delivery of education. We are also ready to offer whatever assistance is required of us,” the President of the association, Mrs. Rose Helen Ankrah, told the Daily Graphic. The association, she said, was formed to seek the welfare of its members and make contributions to the educational system. The membership is drawn from retired director generals of education, directors of education, regional and district directors of education, heads of first and second cycle schools, as well as teachers. The slogan of the association is “Retired but Not Tired”. Mrs Ankrah noted that most members of the association were still energetic and could offer valuable help to the nation, having acquired so much experience from the many years of service. As evidence of their deep knowledge and experiences, she said, some members of the association currently served on teacher promotion interview panels and the committee that selected teachers for the National Best Teacher Awards Scheme. She said some members had also signed up for the inspectorate teams that would be formed by the National Inspectorate Board. Mrs Ankrah, a former Accra Metro Director of Education, added that members were ready to serve on school boards, undertake inspections and monitoring and also teach to address the problem of classrooms without teachers. “We have seen it all and can assist in all areas as far as education is concerned,” she said. She said the association intended to meet the Minister of Education and the Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to tell them what members had to offer. Mrs Ankrah said the association would fill in the gap where its services was required, adding, “we are ready to be of service to mother Ghana.” However, some motivation would be needed for our movement and to keep body and soul together. “I have not regretted being a teacher,” she said, having taught the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, History at the Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (Presec), Legon. Another person she taught is Vida Akoto Bamfo, a Supreme Court Judge. Mrs Ankrah, also a former acting Director of the Secondary Education Division of the GES, said it gave her much pleasure and joy to see her students excelling, and charged the current crop of youth to consider teaching as a profession. She said present-day remuneration was better, compared to theirs. Teaching, she said, was a noble profession because “if the teacher taught everybody; then who is more important?” Mrs. Ankrah also charged teachers to prepare their students well and not only for examinations because after examination they will face the world. Mrs. Ankrah taught History at the Aburi Senior Secondary School and rose to become a Housemistress from 1967-1974. She was transferred to Presec, Legon from 1974 to 1992, where she taught History. She held other positions including a head of department, assistant headmistress and acting headmistress.