METHODIST CHURCH HONOURS 12 TEACHERS

Story: Sarah Naa Merley Mensah and Emmanuel Ashong, Kaneshie

Twelve teachers from selected Methodist Schools in the Accra Diocese have been recognised for excellence in the discharge of their duties.

The 12 were recognised at an awards event held at the Rev Joseph Thomas Clegg Memorial Methodist Chapel, Kaneshie on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.

Dubbed ‘Bishop’s Excellence Awards’, the annual event which was instituted by the immediate past Methodist Bishop of Accra Diocese, the Rt Rev Samuel Kofi Osabutey seeks to recognise excellence in teaching.

Since its inception in 2016, the Awards event has seen "improved academic performance of learners as a result of teachers' positive moral training", revealed Mrs Christina Amoba Adjei, the Greater Accra Regional Manager of Methodist Schools.

The Awards which were in four categories saw Ms Abigail Kanor of the Abossey Okai Methodist Basic School come up tops in the JHS category with Ms Rebecca Ablorh of the Teshie North Methodist JHS and Ms Rahimatu Hafiza Obeng of the Rev John Wesley Basic School following closely in that order.

In the Primary School category, Ms Serwaah Opoku Adams of Calvary Methodist '2' Primary School emerged the winner, followed by Ms Gloria Obeng of Kaneshie Thomas Clegg Methodist '2' Primary School and Ms Gordon Vivian Dzigbordi of Nungua Methodist '1' Primary School in the second and third positions respectively.

Ms Olivia Afrakomah Asare beat off competition from Ms Josephine Acquah and Ms Rebecca Foli to win the first position in the Kindergarten category with the rest coming second and third respectively.

In the final category, Ms Lucy Awulley-Adotei of Nungua Methodist '1' Basic School, Ms Patience Mudey of Nungua Methodist '2' Primary School and Ms Victoria Ampofoa Wobson of Calvary Methodist '1' Basic School emerged as joint best performing Headteachers for the period. They received table top refrigerators and certificates of recognition.

In all the other categories, overall winners took home 4-burner gas cookers each, while 1^st runners-up got table top refrigerators. The 2^nd runners-up received "32 inches flat screen television sets and certificates of recognition.

In an address, the Methodist Bishop of Accra Diocese, the Rt Rev Emmanuel Borlabi Bortey, iterated that the awards were meant to “inspire teachers to do even better and not to think so much of what to gain”.

He admonished the teachers to mould students in the Methodist way noting, “Through that, Methodist students will be different from others". Recounting his childhood experience, the Bishop revealed that teachers serve as huge influence on learners and thus encouraged them to dare to be different.

The Chairman for the occasion, Mrs Monica Ansaba Kumahor, who is the Municipal Director of Education for the Ablekuma Central Municipal Assembly, congratulated the award winners and opined that, "The task becomes greater once awarded. For to whom much is given, much is required".

"The Methodist Church Ghana requires of you as tutors to introduce the perfect life of Jesus to the learners. But first, this transformation ought to come from you so learners can easily emulate”. Mrs Kumahor added.

In all, twenty eight teachers were nominated for the Awards. The number later got pruned to twelve through field assessment and interview sessions undertaken by a five member panel comprising officers from the Ablekuma North and Central Municipal Assemblies, staff of the Methodist Education Unit, Greater Accra and a representative of the Presbyterian Education Unit.

Present at the Awards ceremony were the General Director for Education and Youth Development of The Methodist Church Ghana, the Very Rev Naana Esi Dannyame and the General Manager of Methodist Schools, the Very Rev Francis Kojo Ennison. Also in attendance was the Superintendent Minister of the Kaneshie Circuit, the Very Rev Daniel Kpabitey, the Accra Diocesan Youth Organiser, the Rev Edward Niikwei Okine, the Rev Richard Bradley Foli, a Circuit Minister in the Mamprobi South Circuit and teachers from Methodist Schools in Greater Accra Region.