Mr. Joseph Kwabena Onyinah, the Ashanti Regional Director of Education, has said success of the New Education Reform Programme depended to a large extent on the professional competence, commitment and fair distribution of teachers.
He has therefore stressed the need for the government to give incentive packages and good conditions of service to teachers to motivate them to work harder.
Mr. Onyinah was speaking at a ceremony at which 27 teachers and non-teaching staff of the Kumasi Metropolitan Directorate of Education in Kumasi were given awards.
He said since the Educational Reform Programme in 2003, enrolments in schools at all levels had increased so much that the massive expansion in the provision of infrastructure had not been able to match with the increasing enrolments.
Mr. Onyinah appealed to the government and other stakeholders of education to provide teachers with classrooms, libraries and others to ensure effective teaching and learning.
"The teacher is the hub around which the success of the education system revolves," he said and urged the government to resource them well.
Mr. Onyinah called on heads of institutions and directors of education to contribute to teacher retention by providing the right leadership that would create a congenial atmosphere for the teachers to work with zeal and commitment.
Mr. Kofi Opoku Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister, said in a speech read on his behalf that the government would take measures to improve the general welfare of teachers through competitive remuneration, provision of decent salary and accommodation and others to enhance their work.
Mrs. Gladys Amaning, Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Education, said the metropolis has a teacher population of 7,356 as compared to pupil and student population of 199,377 from the pre-school level to the training college with an average teacher pupil ratio of 1:27.
She said the introduction of the Best Teacher Awards 15 years ago had promoted education and commended the award winners.
In all 18 teachers in the Primary, Junior and Senior High schools and four non-teaching staff were presented with prizes including gas cooker oven and grills, table top fridges, television sets, rice cookers and certificates.
Dr. Lord E. Asamoah, Principal of the Garden City University College at Kenyase, said Educational Reform Programme had not made impact and urged all stakeholders to help ensure its success.