Two awardees of the 4th Gambia Teachers’ Award 2009, Mr. Malick S. Joof and Alhagie Pa Amat Secka both senior teachers at Bakoteh Proper Lower Basic School had expressed their sincere thanks and appreciation to the Gambian leader Professor Alhagie Dr. Yahya Jammeh for giving out D230, 000 to the GTU as part of his personal financial contribution towards the 2009 Best Teacher Award. The said sum was divided among all the awardees.

The awardees made the remarks last Friday at their school during an interview with this reporter.

They said that the gesture will no doubt boost their financial needs. They also thanked their headmistress Mrs. Fatou Chow, Regional Directorate One and staff for their support and encouragement. The duo called on their colleagues in the teaching field to also work hard in order to put the GTU/GTUCCU names into higher heights, adding that the award is something every teacher is looking forward to have in future and which can only be achieved through hard work and dedication.

Alhagie Pa Amat Secka was awarded the most outstanding Gambia Teachers Union Cooperative Credit Union (GTUCCU) regional director among the six regional directors in the country, and Malick S. Joof received the  best teacher award in Region One.

It would be recalled that the National Executive Committee of the GTU initiated the Best Teacher Award Scheme in 2001 with the aim of rewarding excellence, professionalism, patriotism and dedication to the teaching profession and with a view to restoring the respect they deserve and as well as raising the profile of teachers.

This year, thirty eight people were awarded in the following categories: six retired teachers, eight GTU volunteers, one GTU staff, and twenty three classroom teachers.