The Deputy General Secretary of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Gifty Abena Turkson, has called
The Deputy General Secretary of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Gifty Abena Turkson, has called on school management to prioritize the mental well-being of teachers by introducing structured support and awareness initiatives.
She noted that mental health challenges such as stress, fatigue, and long working hours are increasingly common among educators, with burnout becoming a major concern worldwide.
Ms. Turkson reaffirmed TEWU’s commitment to fostering supportive environments for all education workers, stressing that teachers’ well-being directly impacts student success.
“We appeal to the management of the Ghana International School to join us in creating mental health awareness programmes, resilience training, and staff well-being initiatives. When teachers are well, their students flourish,” she said.
Ms. Turkson made the remarks at an awards ceremony held to honor outstanding staff of the Ghana International School (GIS), including teachers and non-teaching personnel, for their dedication and impact.
The event, organized in collaboration with the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, formed part of activities marking this year’s World Teachers’ Day celebration at the GIS campus in Accra.
Award categories recognized exceptional educators and support staff across infant, primary, lower and upper secondary levels. TEWU also presented a citation of appreciation to GIS for its commitment to nurturing excellence in education.
Present at the ceremony were TEWU Greater Accra Regional Chairman Rev. Adu Poku, Second National Trustee Ken Botwey, Gender Coordinator Theodora Dede Amanor, Administrator Eric Bosompem Twum, Industrial Relations Officer (Greater Accra) Goodnews Aforve, and GIS Vice Principal of Lower Secondary School Angela Van der Puije.
Ms. Turkson noted that this was the first partnership between TEWU, GIS, and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation to celebrate teachers and education support staff rather than focus solely on labor negotiations.
Mrs. Van der Puije emphasized that education is a collective effort involving not only teachers but also support staff such as drivers, technicians, cleaners, and administrative personnel.
She further called for greater respect and appreciation for teachers, describing them as the backbone of society whose contributions are often undervalued.