Derby as teachers lock horns with health workers in friendly football match to commemorate world teachers day

Derby as teachers lock horns with health workers in friendly football match to commemorate world teachers day

It was a pure derby at the Damongo Astro Turf where workers in the inky fraternity - teachers, locked horns with their counterparts in the health sector in a Corporate Friendly Football Match to mark this year's International World Teachers Day Celebration.

The football match which was treated like a European Cup final by supporters of both sides was organized by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Northern Region in collaboration with the West Gonja GNAT District to celebrate teachers on the occasion of this year's International World Teachers Day Celebration under the theme, "The Teachers We Need for the Education We Want: The Global Imperative to Reverse the Teacher Shortage".

At the end of regulation time, it was a 1:1 draw though, the teachers protested for a win following a somewhat last minute overruled penalty decision, but referee Faiza Jakpa says, 'This is not the classroom. This is the field of play and I have the final say'.

Special Guest of honor, who doubles as the father of education (Municipal Director of Education) in the West Gonja Municipal, Mr. Akey Ferguson used the occasion to commend all teachers for the invaluable contributions they were making towards shaping the future and the human resource base of the country.

He said teaching was the mother of all professions, urging the teachers to take pride in the fact that they were playing an essential role in nurturing the social, moral and intellectual domains of pupils towards building an equitable society.

Touching on the theme for this year's celebration, he said efforts were being made through the Director General of Education to address the teacher gap across all the levels and that, teachers in this noble profession must be encouraged to stay and contribute their quota to the development of this great nation of ours.

He urged all teachers in the Municipality and beyond to remain disciplined and committed in service and put up their best in improving learning outcomes in our schools for the nation demands more of them.

Supporting the Special Guest of honor and providing moral support to her side was Madam Gertrude Yentumi, Municipal Director of Ghana Health Service.

The Northern Regional GNAT Secretary, Mr. Le Roy Mac Nara, said on this occasion of International World Teachers Day, the biggest teacher union, GNAT appreciates all teachers for the unwavering commitment to the service of mother Ghana.

He said the Ghana National Association of Teachers recognizes the important role teachers play in shaping the future, urging government and all stakeholders to take concrete steps to prevent the migration of teachers from Ghana to other higher income countries.

According to him, the GNAT offers several welfare services to teachers, including the Credit Mall initiative, which will soon be available to the other professions.

Present for this all important occasion also were the Credit Mall Manager, Mr. Fusheini; National Executive Member of GNAT, Mama Joyce; front liners of education in the host Municipality, several chiefs, teachers and opinion leaders.

World Teachers’ Day also known as International Teachers Day, was established by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation in 1994.

It is observed on October 5 each year, to acknowledge the essential role teachers play in nurturing the intellectual, moral and social development of students, in building a better and more equitable world.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham