GNAT-LAS holds conference in Kumasi

Isaac Yeboah Education Aug - 03 - 2013 , 18:14

A round-table conference of the Ashanti regional branch of Ghana National Association of Teachers Ladies (GNAT-LAS) has been held in Kumasi.

The conference, held every four years, is aimed at bringing female teachers in public schools together to review their activities for the past four years, plan towards the regional GNAT conference and elect new leaders as well as pass a resolution on issues to be tabled at the main GNAT conference slated to take place in the latter part of August this year.

GNAT-LAS has a population of 10, 520 in the Ashanti Region.

The conference, which had the theme: “Education as the key to development : the expectation of the female teacher,” brought together over 100 participants made up of five delegates each of the 18 administrative districts of the GNAT in the region as well as representatives of basic, second cycle, technical /vocational and Colleges of Education in the region.

Speaking at the conference, a senior lecturer at the Kumasi campus of the University of Education, Mrs Martha Danso, called on female teachers to strive to upgrade themselves by pursuing further studies to boost their career.

She said upgrading themselves was not only going to help them as individuals but also help them in what they had to teach their pupils, which in the long run would help to improve upon the development of education in the country.

Mrs Danso also challenged the women to ensure that they would serve as role models in their schools and society in general to help shape-up the lives of the youth, especially the young girls.

The senior lecturer urged women to strive to take up leadership roles in trade union activities, since according to her, that would not only bring out their talents but also let them contribute their quota towards the development of the nation.

She appealed to teachers to strive to review their teaching methods regularly to pave way for the various children with diverse learning needs to understand whatever they were taught in school.

The senior lecturer stressed the need for the Ghana Education Service to provide teachers in the country with laptops as a matter of urgency to enhance their teaching of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) so they could also teach the pupils.

The Ashanti Regional Secretary of the GNAT, Mr Charles Adum-Nti Acheamfuo, commended the women for their dedication and commitment towards the development of education in the region and the country as a whole.

He urged them to unite as a strong force to enable them fight for their right and the children they taught.

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the GNAT, Mr William Nantwi, urged female teachers to avoid mediocrity and strive to attain higher heights in life.

There was an exhibition of some handiwork of some of the female teachers from the various districts in the region.

Among the items exhibited were Kente products, pomade, variety of liquid soaps, footwear, hand bags, assorted fruit juices, beads made from local raw materials such as stones and broken bottles, etc.