Rosebank honours teachers, says: ‘Their welfare is investment, not cost’

Before dawn breaks in towns and villages across Ghana, thousands of teachers are already awake. Some are marking exercise books under dim light.

Others are preparing lesson notes, reviewing students' assignments, or worrying about how to stretch limited resources to meet both professional and family obligations. By the time their students file into classrooms, they have already put in hours of invisible labour.

Yet, when societies celebrate progress, teachers are often absent from the headlines. At this year's World Teachers' Day celebration hosted by Rosebank International University College, attention was deliberately shifted back to the people who shape virtually every profession and every success story. The event brought together teachers, counsellors and education stakeholders to reflect on a profession whose influence extends far beyond the classroom walls.

The most striking message of the day came from the Deputy General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Amadu Moses Baman. He challenged policymakers and society to rethink how they view investment in teachers. "Investing in the welfare of teachers is not cost. It is a valuable investment," he said. His words settled heavily in the room because they touched on a reality many educators know too well.

For years, conversations about national development have been dominated by roads, factories, technology, infrastructure, and investment capital. Yet every engineer who designs a bridge, every entrepreneur who launches a company, every doctor who treats patients, and every economist shaping policy began as a child sitting in front of a teacher. Long before economic growth appears in national statistics, it first takes shape in a classroom.

The significance of that reality was evident throughout the event. Teachers and counsellors seated across the hall were not merely attendees at a ceremonial gathering. They were reminders of the countless stories unfolding daily in schools across the country.

There is a teacher who notices a struggling student and stays after school to offer help. There is a counsellor who supports troubled adolescent navigating family difficulties. There is an educator who spends personal income on learning materials because a child should not be denied an opportunity to learn. These acts rarely attract public attention. Yet they quietly shape futures.

The GNAT Deputy General Secretary argued that if society truly values these contributions, it must demonstrate that appreciation through tangible support. Teacher welfare, he stressed, should not be treated as an expenditure to be minimised. But as an investment capable of delivering substantial social and economic returns.

The argument is compelling. This is because it shifts the discussion away from budgets and towards outcomes. What happens when teachers feel motivated, respected, and adequately supported? Students learn better. Schools function more effectively. Communities become stronger. Over time, economies benefit from a workforce equipped with the skills, knowledge and attitude needed to compete and innovate. This chain reaction starts with the teacher. "Building a society in which people are happy starts in the classroom," the GNAT official noted.

It was perhaps the most profound statement of the celebration. Classrooms are often viewed primarily as spaces for academic instruction. But those who spend time in schools understand they are much more than that. They are places where confidence is built, values are shaped, and dreams begin to take form.

A child who is encouraged to ask questions develops curiosity. A child taught to think critically becomes a problem solver. A child inspired to believe in his or her abilities gains the confidence to pursue opportunities. Those lessons influence far more than examination results. They shape lives.

The world that today's students are preparing to enter is markedly different from the one many of their teachers encountered. Automation, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and rapidly changing labour markets demand a different set of skills, knowledge and attitude. Employers increasingly seek individuals who can analyse problems, think creatively, collaborate effectively, and adapt to change.

Developing those capabilities requires teachers who are themselves empowered to thrive. This is why the call for improved teacher welfare carries implications that reach beyond the education sector. It is fundamentally a conversation about national competitiveness.

Countries that have successfully transformed their economies have done so not only through physical infrastructure but also through sustained investments in human capital. At the heart of that investment lies education, and at the heart of education stands the teacher.

The celebration at Rosebank International University College underscored this connection. As speakers paid tribute to educators, there was also recognition of the expanding responsibilities teachers now shoulder. Today's teacher is expected to be more than an instructor. They are mentors. Role models. Counsellors. Motivators.

In some cases, they become the first line of support for students facing emotional, social, and psychological challenges. This reality made the participation of counsellors particularly significant.

Increasingly, schools are confronted with issues that extend beyond academics. Students grapple with anxiety, social pressures, family instability, and uncertainty about the future. Supporting their development requires collaboration between teachers and counsellors. Both of whom play critical roles in nurturing well-rounded individuals.

Yet the demands placed on these professionals continue to grow. The expectation to produce exceptional outcomes, often under difficult circumstances, can create immense pressure. This is why conversations about welfare matter. When teachers are overburdened, undervalued, or unsupported, the consequences extend beyond the profession itself. Student learning suffers. Educational quality declines. The broader development aspirations of the country become more difficult to achieve.

Conversely, when teachers are empowered, the benefits ripple outward. One only has to reflect on personal experiences to appreciate this truth. Most successful people can recall a teacher who changed the direction of their lives. Perhaps it was the mathematics teacher who recognised hidden talent. Perhaps it was the English teacher who inspired a love for reading. Perhaps it was a counsellor whose words arrived at exactly the right moment during a period of uncertainty.

Years later, students may forget specific lessons. But they rarely forget teachers who believed in them. This human dimension of teaching was woven throughout the celebration. Beyond policy discussions and institutional commitments, the event served as a reminder that teaching remains one of the most consequential professions in society precisely because it is built on human relationships.

Every day, teachers invest time, energy and emotional labour into helping young people realise their potential. Many do so without expecting recognition. They celebrate victories that are not their own. They nurture dreams they may never see fully realised. They plant seeds whose fruits may take decades to appear. Such work is difficult to quantify. But its value is immeasurable.

The GNAT Deputy General Secretary's call for greater investment in teacher welfare therefore resonated as both a moral and economic imperative. A nation cannot expect teachers to nurture critical thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators while neglecting their own well-being. It cannot demand excellence from educators without creating conditions that enable excellence to flourish.

And it cannot aspire to sustainable development without investing in the people responsible for developing future generations. As the event drew to a close, applause filled the hall. But beneath the celebration was a deeper challenge directed at society. Value teachers not only in word. But in action. Support them not only on commemorative days. But throughout the year.

Recognise that every classroom contains the architects of tomorrow's economy. And standing before those future leaders is a teacher helping to shape what they will become. The message from Rosebank International University College was clear.

The future is not built in boardrooms alone. It is not created solely through financial markets, industrial parks, or technological breakthroughs. It begins much earlier. It begins with a teacher standing before a classroom, inspiring a child to imagine possibilities beyond the horizon. That is why investing in teachers is never an expense.

It is an investment in human potential, economic progress, and national prosperity. And perhaps, as the World Teachers' Day celebration so powerfully reminded stakeholders. It is one of the most important investments any society can ever make.

The Sales Manager of the university, Enoch Adjei, echoed the General Secretary’s view, saying, “The era of telling teachers their reward is in heaven is over. Today, teachers deserve to enjoy the rewards of their work here on earth.”