Wednesday, February 19, 2014

BECHEM DEAF SUDENTS EMBARK ON DEMONSTRATION


Students of the Bechem technical school for the Deaf have embarked on a peaceful demonstration in Bechem to voice out their grievances.
        


The students in the demonstration

 Parading through the principal streets of Bechem amid the beating of drums and carrying of placards, some of which read; “Headmistress deceived S.R.C. with students”, “ I and we are all student very annoyed with the headmistress”, “ she is crazy”, “ her is not show lovely students and anything”, “discipline….. school for the Deaf we are against with the headmistress”. The  
       
Some of the placard bearing students

students, under police protection, marched to the office of the District Directorate of Education and later to the premises of the Tano South District Assembly, where their leaders briefed the Tano South District Chief Executive, Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba on their grievances.
The students called for the removal of their headmistress since she has not been helping them in any way.
      
Some of the students showing concerns in sign language

They said the headmistress has not been helping them, citing her failure in assisting the S.R.C. of the school to attend meetings and also their dormitories being overcrowded, they complained of the schools toilet facility getting full for a long time without any dislodging.
Female students of the school complained of lack of sewing machines since the only ten (10) machines they have had broken down, medical care for students, they complained was lacking and meals at the school was one sided since they have for long been eating only rice.
The students complained that they had some aid from USA but have since not seen what that aid was used for and complained that they were given some RLG computers when they went to
Sunyani but have since not set eye on the computers and complained bitterly that some of their masters do not understand their sign language.
The students who though did not put their grievances into writing but it in sign languages and was translated by a staff of the Assembly, Mr. Offei Obed Agyemang, said all that they need was the removal of the headmistress of the school for a male counterpart to be brought in to replace her.
 Addressing the students, the Tano South District Chief executive, Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba, thanked the students for bringing their grievances to the notice of the authorities for redress but reminded them that there is an act which takes care of such events which is the Public Order Act, which stipulates the requirements for carrying out demonstrations. He reminded them of the notification of the police on the event, date, time, route and the response from the police.
  
Picture left shows Hon. Anaba addressing the students whiles Mr. Offei translates in sign language

Hon. Anaba said that their demonstration had taking the police and the authorities by surprise since the police were called in to protect them when reports got to the police but notwithstanding their grievances would be taken care of and the necessary actions taken on them.
Hon. Anaba said he would consult the District Director of Education and all stakeholders in this matter for a solution to be found on the matter, he assured the students that the matter would not be left to lie but the necessary remedy found to it.
Hon. Anaba said he cannot immediately call for the removal of the headmistress as they are demanding since she has her rights as they also have and entreated them to exercise patience and give them time for the matter to be looked into.
The D.C.E. pleaded with the students to go peacefully to their campus with the promise that officials of the Assembly and the District Directorate of Education would visit them but cautioned that if there is any Master or Teacher who is behind the students action calling for the removal of the headmistress, that master or teacher should count himself or herself out that he or she would be going with the headmistress, should the need arise.
The D.C.E. later promised the students of the Assembly’s readiness to donate five (5) sewing machines to the school.

TECHIMANTIA METHODIST CHURCH AWARDS TEACHERS AND PRESENSTS SCHOOL UNIFORMS TO PUPILS


The Techimantia circuit of the Methodist church of Ghana has held a ceremony to award three best teachers of the local Methodist Primary, JHS schools and donated two computers to the schools and seventy school uniforms to needy pupils.


Picture above shows the award package and the overall best teacher receiving his award from the DCE
At a ceremony at Techimantia to mark the occasion the local manager of the church and schools and the brain behind the whole idea Rev. David Justice Annan in a welcome address said the idea of instituting the awards and donating the uniforms stemmed from the fact that he one day met a pupil in a torn out uniform but was impressed by the type of English the pupil spoke. He said he discussed the idea with the church who wholeheartedly embraced the idea and also sought sponsorship from Donewell Insurance and some Rural Banks to make the concept a success.
                                        


Rev. David Justices Annan addressing the gathering
Rev. Annan said with the selection of the teachers he consulted the District Directorate of Education to select one teacher each from the Primary and JHS and 1 (one) overall best teacher from the schools.
In a speech the Tano South District Director of Education Mrs. Mary-Grace Bonye said the ceremony was a honour   to give recognition to teachers as a the role of teachers   needs recognition from society hence the National best teachers award.
                                       
Mrs Mary-Grace Bonye  in a speechat the faction
Mrs. Bonye said the Tano South District Directorate acknowledges the fact that education is a potential key to national development hence children who are assests for national development deserve quality education which is made possible by dint of a teachers hard work. She said teaching as a professional career requires commitment integrity, discipline role modeling and mentoring and said society must support teachers to inculcate spiritual and moral values to our children and said  that all professionals can boast but it is the teacher who taught them.
In another speech at the function the former Member of Parliament for the Tano South Constituency Hon. Andrew Adjei Yeboah congratulated the organizers of the function and the brain behind the whole idea for the good work done and hoped the awards would continue over the years and pleaded for support for the good move the Rev. minster has initiated.
                                      
Hon. Andrews Adjei Yeboah addressing the gathering
Hon. Adjei Yeboah  told the children that what we are doing and witnessing was because of their future  and pleaded with them to listern to the elderly and heed to their advice and also congratulated the teachers for their selfless devotion and dedication to work.
Hon. Adjei Yeboah  further said, people resort to showing material things to support development but hinted that it is better to invest in a child which is for the future but not what we see today and it is not found the next time.
The Tano South District Chief Executive Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba in a speech expressed delight for been part of this important occasion which seeks to reward teachers and make presentations to needy but brilliant children in the Methodist cluster of schools in Techimantia.
Hon. Anaba said we all know that education is the bedrock of every country’s development therefore he has to thank the Methodist society of Techimantia for the vision they have for education in the District.
He said many of our youth of school going ages have either dropped out of school or could not continue their education due to financial and material support they could not get and said it is therefore in the right direction that the Methodist church at Techimantia has chosen to reward teachers and also support pupils which to him will encourage other teachers to give off their best in teaching.
Hon. Anaba commended the Techimantia Methodist Church for taking a bold initiative and also a decision to make the event an annual affair and urged all and sundry to contribute generously, financially, and in other kinds to benefit many teachers and school children.
                                     
The Tano South District Chief Executive Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba  delving his address
The District Chief Executive said the National Democratic Congress ( NDC) Government is doing its best to improve the standerd of education in the country and in furtherance the District Assembly is assisting a number of students in all levels of education in the District and promise to continue to do more in the education sector to help improve educational standards in the District.
  Hon. Anaba congratulated the church for taking a very good step towards uplifting education and also starting a programme that is aimed at enhancing and promoting better education and creating a congenial atmosphere for teachers and school children in the District and called on all and sundry to give their maximum support to it.
The Methodist Bishop of  Sunyani  Rt.Rev. Kofi Asare Bediako congratulated Rev. David Justice Annan for his foresight and good work done and also thanked the Techeimantia Methodist Church for coming out with the churches money to help others.
                                   
The Methodist Bishop of  Sunyani  Rt.Rev. Kofi Asare Bediako addressing the gathering
Rev. Asare Bediako  said teachers have a lot to do in public school since there is low enrollment and lower percentages in examination results in the public schools  and said we don’t have to create a class society between public and private schools since the public schools have qualified teachers.
Rev. Asare said the diocese concedes the fact that there are challenges teachers faces but said a good leader is always able to face challenges since the teaching profession is a noble one.
Rev. Asare said that he will plead with the District Director of Education that though the government and the churches are collaborating to promote education in the county there are times where there is no collaboration between the District Directorates and the Educational units, a situation which he described as very uncompromising in the pursuit of education standards in our districts.
The chairman for the occasion, the Krontihene of Tachimantia Nana Ampong Kromantan in his closing remarks thanked the Methodist church of Techimantia for their bold initiative and called on all to give the idea the needed support it deserves and promised that  Nananom would give the initiative the backing it deserves. 
The best teacher award in the Primary and JHS level went to Mess Martha Menu and Mr. Clement Peprah whist Mr. Awuah Paul had the overall best teacher award.
                                             
Nana Ampong Kromantan delving his closing remakes