Unfortunately, the politicians who are supposed to know better in this regard rather turn round to be the biggest culprits in terms of meting out such unfavourable treatments to teachers. They play political football with them on campaign platforms, promising heaven on earth, but eventually use their (teachers’) huge numbers to win elections, and fulfill none of such promises.

In times past, however, I heard teachers were highly respected. If the chief was looking for a secretary, he would, most likely, end at the doorstep of a teacher; if the Orthodox Church was looking for a catechist, the teacher was there.

Teachers, I am told, used to be consultants in all situations within the communities they found themselves. Today, the narrative has changed.

The best positions which teachers are needed to occupy today are as electoral officers during national elections, and enumerators during censuses where very high statistical figures are involved. After all these exercises, the teacher is dumped. 

But all cannot be said to have been lost as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Abetifi Constituency and Minister of State at the Office of the President, Hon. Bryan Acheampong, has begun an exercise aimed at changing this rather demeaning narrative, and restoring this profession to its past dignity.

Mr. Acheampong, on Friday, 14th December, 2018, treated teachers within the Kwahu East district to a party and many other enviable packages.

The teaching and non-teaching staff within the aforementioned district who numbered over 1,600, gathered at Kwahu Pepease, the district capital in oneness, ate and drank together – kudos to Bryan. 

Food and drinks were not the only package. Other juicy ones included the following: a half piece of cloth for every teacher, and a GHC 300.00 worth of shopping at Melcom for every teacher.

There was also the announcement of a scholarship package for teachers to study at the Presbyterian University College at Abetifi in the MP’s constituency. The scholarship is supposed to cover every teacher who has served in the district for 10 years and over.

The MP, whose very dream of ever becoming a Ghanaian lawmaker, began at the Suhum Constituency, but who was never able to beat Hon. Frederick Opare Ansah (the Suhum MP) in any of their party’s parliamentary primaries, also awarded 27 teachers each with a cash prize of GHC 2,000 and either a fridge or a flat-screen television.