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Heads of schools who impose unapproved levies on students will be punished by the Ghana Education Service.

The Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, Mrs. Felicia Boakye-Yiadom, who gave the warning during the Tema Metropolitan Best Teacher /Worker Awards Ceremony, said should the need arise for a school to raise funds for any project, be passed through the laid-down channel for approval.

The ceremony, which was on the theme: ‘Sustaining quality education in Tema, empowering the teacher,’ saw 24 teachers from public basic and senior high schools (SHS) being awarded for their dedication and contribution to education in the Tema metropolis.

Mrs. Boakye-Yiadom did not elaborate on the punishment to be meted out to offenders, but said the measure was to help alleviate the suffering of parents.

She called on society to empower teachers, the fulcrum around which quality education revolved, to make a difference in the lives of the children.

Mrs. Boakye-Yiadom said that could be achieved through carefully-prepared arrangements such as sandwich courses, in-service training, workshops and continuous development programmes for teachers.

“A teacher who is empowered is on top of his job and has very good knowledge of the subject matter, sound knowledge of pedagogical skills, is motivated and relates well with his or her pupils and other stakeholders,” she said.

Mrs. Boakye-Yiadom used the occasion to launch a reading project aimed at encouraging pupils in the Tema metropolis to improve their reading and writing skills.

Under the project, reading and writing clubs would be formed in all basic schools, and at least one hour a day would be devoted to reading. Each pupil is expected to read at least one story book per term.

The Tema Metropolitan Director of Education, Mrs. Veronica P. Adzato-Ntem, also warned that teachers found indulging in negative practices such as absenteeism, lateness, extortion of money and drunkenness would be penalised.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tema, Mr. Isaac A. Odamtten, congratulated the award winners and urged all teachers to put in their maximum in the training of children.

He said three industrial basic school projects started this year by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), were at various stages of completion at Communities 1, 2 and Tema New Town, and by the end of 2016, six projects would be available.

The industrial basic school concept ensures optimum use of space and delivers facilities such as science and computer laboratories, classrooms and sporting facilities.

Mr. Odamtten said the assembly, under a Greenwich –Tema Sister City relationship programme, was arranging an exchange programme for teachers in the metropolis to help widen their scope of experience.