He said the Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession, and as well as highlight the important role teachers’ play in society.

Dr Adutwum said at the launch of the Ghana Teacher Prize 2018 in Accra on the theme: “The Right to Education Means the Right to a Qualified Teacher”.

The award ceremony slated for October 5, is being organised by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the National Teaching Council (NTC).

The Minister said the National Teacher Awards have been rebranded ‘Ghana Teacher Prize’ with an international standard as the new benchmark.

He said the objective of the award scheme is to motivate teachers for higher performance and also restore the respect the profession should enjoy.

Dr Adutwum thanked all teachers and educational personnel for their efforts, especially those working in remote and deprived districts in the country.

“Government is committed to making the teaching profession a great one and I encourage all teachers to do their best to make it a reality”, he added.

Dr Evelyn Oduro, the Executive Secretary of NTC, touching on the eligibility criteria, said the award was open to current working teachers both private and public who teach children that were in compulsory schooling, adding that teachers on voluntary teaching service were also eligible.

She said unlike the overall best teacher awards category in the previous years, the Ghana Teacher Prize would honour ‘Ghana’s Most Outstanding Teacher Award’ (GMOTA).

The category for exemplary leadership and ground-breaking work that had affected and transformed the lives of the students under their care and the community around them.

Dr Oduro said in addition to the Ghana’s Most Outstanding Teacher Award, other awards category that will be honoured include the best Pre-School Teacher, the best Primary School Teacher, the best Junior High School Teacher, the best Senior High School Teacher, the best special school and the HIV/AIDs Most Alert School.

She said the most outstanding teacher takes home a three bedroom house plus GHC 500,000.00 endowment fund, while the first runner-up goes with a 4x4 Pickup, and the second runner-up goes with a saloon car.

“A competent team has been put in place for the selection process including; public officials, head teachers, academics, journalists, entrepreneurs, company directors, scientists and entertainment figures”, she added.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers and past winners of the Ghana Teacher Prize have expressed their support to the event, adding that, it would encourage teachers to do more and improve the quality of teaching.

Professor Sitsofe Enyonam Anku, a teacher at Meagasa Mathematics Academy, Accra was shortlisted for the Global Teacher Prize 2018 that took place in March at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai organised by the Varkey Foundation.

The winner took home US$1 million from a competitive nominations and applications of 30,000 from 173 countries around the world.