Mr Elliot Twum, Acting General Manager, Tarkwa Mines, said the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation instituted the educationists awards scheme in 2016 to recognise and promote excellence in teaching.

He said this year the award committee received entries from forty nine educationists for twelve categories.

According to Mr Twum, the award committee, which include officials from the Ghana Education Service, undertook a field assessment to ascertain how the teachers conducted lessons in class.

"This year the Foundation spent over 100 thousand Ghana cedis in the teachers awards programme, which first covered teachers from our Tarkwa and Damang mines communities" he emphasized.

The General Manager indicated that the Gold Fields Foundation has also supported teachers in diverse ways, stressing that, between 2012 and 2015, the Foundation topped up the monthly salaries of sixty four teachers from the Mines host communities.

He further stated that since the establishment of the Nana Amoakwa Model school in Damang in 2000, teachers of the school have been receiving monthly allowances of up to 50 percent of their monthly salaries.

Mr Twum observed that "the admirable performance of the pupils in the school is a testimony of the fact that, teachers motivation is key to quality education".

For the past three years 93 teachers and four schools in communities surrounding their Tarkwa and Damang Mines have been rewarded, he stated.

Mr Desmond Ofori of New Atuabo Community Basic school was adjudged the overall best science tutor of the year while Mr Anthony Owusu Amoah and Mr Emmanuel Ellis Ainoo of Huniso/Pepesa and Huni-Valley Methodist Basic schools won the best science teachers.

The overall best English Language tutor  went to Mr John Kwaku Andoh of New Atuabo Community Basic school and the best English language tutors were recieved by Mr Shadrack Kabu Tetteh,  Huniso/Pepesa Basic Schools and Mr Ebenezer Nyamekeh, Huni-Valley Anglican Basic school.

Mr Eric Danso, from Gold Fields School Complex had the overall outstanding new educationists award,with Mr Iddrisu Issah from Abekoase/Tebe Municipal /Assembly (M/A) Basic and Mr Iddrisu Abdul Razak of Bompieso M/A Junior High Schools (JHS) adjuged the best outstanding new educators.

Overall best kindergarten (KG) tutor went to madam Cynthia Adomaah Mensah, Gold Fields Schools Complex and madam Priscilla Sagoe, Huniso Methodist Primary School won the best KG  tutor.

Best Community, NABCO and National Service tutors were recieved by madam Ayishatu Yakubu, Huniso M/A and Mr Emmanuel Okyere of  Damang Roman/Catholic (R/C) Basic schools and the overall best community tutor went to Mr Evans Eduboah of Akoon Saint Peter's Anglican JHS.

Mr Ebenezer Tweneboah, of Huni-Valley Anglican Basic School, had the overall best JHS tutor while Mr Samuel Yakubu, of Brahabobome M/A JHS and Mr Hillary Francis Kunorvi of Aboso Bosomtwe M/A JHS were adjudge the best JHS tutors.

From New Atuabo Community Basic school, madam Grace Wilson had the overall best primary teacher, best primary teachers were also won by Mr Augustus Etrue Sam of Huniso Methodist and madam Veronica Dadzie, of Aboso Methodist Basic schools.

Mr Enock Nana Kwame Buabeng and Mr Evans Asiedu Kankam of Huniso and Damang  M/A JHS won the best Information Communication Technology (ICT) tutors.

The rest are; best French teacher, Mr Augustine Ganu Mensah and overall best head teacher Mr Ebenezer Mensah came from Aboso Glass Factory JHS while the best head teachers were recieved by Mr Anthony Gyasi, Richard Graeme Basic School and madam Barbara Dorcas Fynn, Damang Catholic Basic School Mr Lawson K. Agbeko from Gold Fields Schools Complex had the best tutor in  Basic Design and Technology and New Atuabo St. Mary's Anglican Primary was adjudged the best School.

They received plaques, deep freezers and 43 inch LG smart television sets.

In a speech read on behalf of the Western Regional Education Director, Mr Addo-Dankwa Akufo expressed appreciation to the Gold Fields Ghana Limited for motivating their tutors  to give of their best.

He entreated all tutors to be abreast with current categorical skills and tools to enable them go about their duties effectively.

Apinto Gyasehene, Nana Dr Adarkwa Bediako III and the Municipal Chief Executive of Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Mr Glibert Kenndy Asmah congratulated the awardees who have worked hard to improve upon the level of education in the various Communities.