President John Evans Atta Mills Monday announced plans by government to initiate action this academic year to implement teacher allowances proposed in the NDC manifesto. He said under the programme, priority would be given to teachers in deprived areas of the country and those who teach science, mathematics, technical and vocational subjects. The President announced this in a speech read on his behalf by Vice-President John Mahama at the 15th National Best Teacher Award ceremony at Ho in the Volta Region. The occasion, which coincided with World Teachers' Day, had the theme, "Build the future; invest in teachers now." Echoing the theme of the occasion, President Mills said the country could not be left behind, especially at a time when knowledge had become the defining ingredient of progress in a globalised world. "Government therefore intends to play its part in the positive transformation of the lives of the entire society into an enlightened one by investing in teachers now," he said. The President stressed that if every Ghanaian child was to be given the chance to succeed in life, there was the need to invest in the quality of its teachers, adding, that would increase the number of graduates willing to enter the profession. He encouraged teachers to take advantage of distance education as a convenient alternative of upgrading themselves since it was one of the government's motivational packages for teachers. He said the government would continue to enhance its ICT policies in schools to upgrade ICT competencies of both school children and teachers, adding that pupils and teachers should be able to use computers to improve upon their learning and teaching skills. To curb the spate of cyber crime, however, President Mills entreated teachers to teach learners the proper use of computers. "Teachers and parents have to monitor learners, discourage them from watching pornographic films and using the internet for cyber crimes," he said. The President also expressed the government's determination to train enough teachers for the schools. This year, a total of 8,919 teacher trainees from the 39 colleges of education had been distributed to the 10 regions. With regard to posting of teachers who graduated from tertiary institutions this year, the President said over 3,500 of them had had their posting processed and sent to all the regions to start teaching this academic year. President Mills urged all teachers to give off their best since the best teacher award lenses could capture them at the regional and district levels as well. Mr. Joseph Amenowode, Volta Regional Minister, urged teachers to see the awards in their right perspective and be motivated accordingly. "It behoves our teachers to rededicate themselves to work harder," he said. Togbe Afede XIV, paramount chief of the Asogli traditional area, underscored the need to promote the welfare of teachers since the future of the country largely depended on them. He noted that many more teachers deserved to be honoured but since all of them could not be recognised on a single occasion, the awards should motivate the others to give off their best. Source: The Ghanaian Times