Ghana’s 2021 best teacher, Ebenezer Kojo Otoo, has expressed his desire to establish a hall of fame to promote art and technical education.
Mr Otoo says the Hall of Fame would help harness talents for the arts and technical education sectors to engineer Ghana’s growth.
He shared this when he paid a courtesy call at the Office of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and the Cape Coast Technical University.
According to the 45-year-old visual arts teacher, he’s become an ambassador who promotes arts, technical, and vocational education wherever he goes, as it is dear to his heart.
He stated that as part of his projects, he intends to establish a Hall of Fame to promote holistic education.
“It has been on my heart that wherever I go, I will do things that will promote the arts, technical and vocational education. With that, the first project that I have to promote holistic education is the establishment of a hall of fame or the creation of schools as tourist sites. “
Mr. Otoo explained what he meant by the hall of fame. He said the hall of fame is an area where astounding works of art are kept.
“When we talk about a hall of fame, it’s a place, a demarcated area where we have resounding and astounding works of art or works of individuals who have achieved a lot for a particular institution. If there are students or staff who have excelled based on what they have done, we mark them as famous and mount whatever they have done in that place. “
He further stated that a pilot project has already commenced at the Winneba Secondary School and is going through the process of being launched very soon.
He indicated that the hall of fame would not only promote holistic education but also serve as a tourist site.
Speaking on his other projects, the 45-year-old teacher shared that his other projects include supporting teachers as he achieved his feat through support. He said he intends to work with the Ghana Teaching Council and the Ministry of Education to support the Ghana Teacher Prize so that more teachers will be elevated.
He also mentioned that he intends to start a project to curb teenage pregnancy. He said this project will entail sensitization as well as supporting girls who are in that situation.
“We have another project on supporting or curbing teenage pregnancy. For no fault of theirs, the Central Region has a lot of these cases, so as a foundation, I have taken it upon myself to do sensitization and also support those who, for no fault of theirs, are in that situation.
“We will also do sensitisation, going from school to school to sensitize the students concerning teenage pregnancy so that the rate will be reduced or curbed. “
He also said his foundation intends to promote innovation by creating an award scheme that will reward selected students from various schools for their work in technology, arts and innovation. He said this scheme will be targeted at academically-improved students so that every student will be motivated to work hard in their studies.
Mr Otoo also said his foundation aims to solicit funds to acquire laptops and supply them to schools in remote areas undertaking ICT education but lacking the facilities to support them.
He called on the support of stakeholders to help his projects, as it would increase the country’s chances of winning the Global Teacher Prize for the first time.
