Nkwanta North education director retires

The Nkwanta North first substantive female District Director of Education, Grace Emefa Banibensu, has retired from active service after 38 years of dedicated service to the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Ms Banibensu, also known as Mrs Grace Emefa Obeng, joined the GES after completing the teacher training college.

Her teaching career took her to both basic and second cycle schools, which included Vakpo Dunyo Local Authority Middle School in the North Dayi District of the Volta Region, New Senchi Roman Catholic Junior High School and Apeguso Community Senior High School in the Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region.

She also served the GES at the Asuogyaman District Education Office as the Head of Finance and Administration and Public Relations Officer (PRO) before being promoted as the District Director of Education for the Nkwanta North District.  

At her send-off at Kpassa, the Nkwanta North District capital in the Oti Region last Friday, Ms. Banibensu was described as a team player, principled, tolerant, analytical, creative, fair and firm, reliable and, above all, a goal-oriented director who believed in delegation of leadership roles to achieve results of quality education at the basic level.

The management of the Nkwanta North Education Directorate, in a citation presented to her, said  her period as a director was marked by structure, intentionality and elevated standards, adding, ‘’You strengthened the very foundation of our management systems by regularising monthly mandatory meetings complemented by emergency sessions when necessary’’.

The management said Ms Banibensu’s regular meetings with the staff sharpened their thinking, deepened their deliberations and strengthened their collective resolve in the performance of their professional duties. 

Solidarity messages

The Nkwanta North District Conference of Headteachers of Basic Schools (COHBS) also presented her with a citation for her visionary leadership, discipline, fairness and unwavering commitment to quality education.

‘’You strengthened supervision, promoted professional development, enhanced collaboration among the schools and fostered culture of accountability and excellence across the district. Your open-door policy, humility and respect for headteachers created an atmosphere of trust and shared responsibilities.

“Through your guidance, basic education in Nkwanta North has grown stronger and more focused,” the COHBS said.

There were solidarity messages from the teacher unions, including Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), all praising her for her effective leadership roles which enhanced the performance of education in the district.

GES policies 

The acting Oti Regional Director of Education, Irene Jacqueline Attabra, in her special message entreated all directors of education at the pre-tertiary levels to ensure they implemented the GES policies and programmes outlined for them in order to maintain a higher standard of education in the region.

She said any director who compromised with GES policy guidelines compromised with quality teaching and learning which would defeat the aim of the GES and the Ministry of Education.

Ms Banibensu, in her parting message, said her objective for the GES whilst in active service was to bring to bear the in-depth knowledge and skills she acquired in her professional and leadership training in education to help address key educational development planning and management challenges, as well as assist in the development of potentials, talents and skills of others.          

She, therefore, entreated all teachers and other stakeholders in education, including the Parents-Teacher Associations (PTAs), School Management Committees (SMCs) and voluntary organisations to support in quality education delivery.

Vocational education.