The Divisional Chief of Bomsomtwi in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality of the Western Region, Nana Kwabena Amponsah IV, has cautioned teachers against sexual relations with school girls.
According to the chief, students are entrusted into the care of teachers by their parents to provide them with academic and moral guidance.
“So it’s most unethical for teachers to ignore their duty of taking care of the school children but instead having amorous relationships with the school girls,” the chief added.
The chief gave the advice when Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GGL) Damang Mine in the Western Region held its annual Teachers’ Awards ceremony to honour hard-working teachers in the Prestea Huni/Valley Municipality.
The teachers were also awarded for their contributions towards the improvement of education in the company’s operational area.
In all, about 11 teachers were presented with awards.
They were selected from basic schools in the nine host communities of the company, namely Subri, Koduakrom, Nyamebekyere, Kyekyewere and Damang.
The rest were Huni- Valley, Amoanda, Bompieso and Aboso.
The prizes given to the teachers included refrigerators, flat-screen television and micro waves, among others.
The event, which was under the Gold Fields Foundation, formed part of the company’s annual education sector social responsibility programme.
The chief praised Gold Fields for their massive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives being undertaken in the host communities.
He added that teachers have the duty to impart knowledge and skills into pupils or students and are responsible for the moral upbringing of the children.
The Acting General Manager of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Damang Mine, Augustine Wireko Asubonteng, added that the mining company was committed to motivating teachers in the company’s host communities.
“This is help to bring out the best in the teachers to be able to impart the needed knowledge into the kids they interact with each day,” he added.
He revealed that 39 teachers applied for the various categories out of which 11 were selected for the awards.
He disclosed that for some time now, Goldfields Ghana Limited has been motivating teachers of the Nana Amoakwa School in Damang which produced the 2013 National Best Teacher, Jude Yiffah.
“This year, all the candidates presented by Nana Amoakwa Model School for the BECE did not just pass the examination but also gained admission to top Senior High Schools in Ghana,” he added.
Mr. Asubonteng disclosed that the teachers attributed the performance to the motivation they got from the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation.
He continued “teachers must be awarded on earth for their good work done and not in heaven.”
He added that the managers and trustees of the Foundation agreed that apart from Nana Amoakwa Model School, the motivation packages should be extended to teachers of other public basic schools in the host communities.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Damang