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Her Life
June 7, 2016

Best Teacher Award 2000

June 7, 2016

A Short Biography of Emelia Ameley Amartey-Quarcoo

 

Birth

“Here is strong women, may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them”

 

On 1st May, 1958, a year after Ghana gained its independence, the nation was gifted with a patriot and hardworking young woman. Of whom her parents, Leonard Amartey-Quarcoo and Beatrice Nuerki Tetteyfio named; Emelia Ameley Amartey-Quarcoo. A name she spent her whole life living by. She spent her formative years in Osu in the Greater-Accra region where she was the eldest of five children the couple birthed.

 



Education

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all” ~Aristotle~

 

Emelia had an intermittent yet a determined education. She started in a challenging environment to the extent where she learnt how to finally spell her name in class 5 during her days in Adumua 1, (a SYTO school) which is now non-existent. She however, continued with focus and a vision to the Christian Methodist Secondary School in Accra from 1971 to 1976 to pursue her secondary school education and ended with a GCE ‘O’ level certificate. Then, in 1979 after a three-year training program with Aburi Presbyterian Womens’ Training College, she graduated with a Teacher Certificate ‘A’ post secondary certificate. Eager to learn more, she got accepted into a special training college at the University College of Education, Winneba for a diploma in Home Economics in 1990 and later gained a second-class upper division bachelor of Education (B. Ed) degree in Home economics in 1998. She also pursued a graduate course in Sociology at the University of Ghana from 2002 to 2003 and a masters in Education Administration between 2004-2005 at the University of Cape-coast. She was a student in the pursuit of another master’s degree at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration(GIMPA) in Governance and Leadership before her untimely death.

 

 

Career

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”  ~Henry Brooks Adams~

 

Note!

Based on the twists and turns life had slapped her face with, she swore to make a positive impact on any child she taught. She loved her job and worked diligently because she believed it was the basis for development of Ghana. She loved to teach so much so that even as a headmistress, she would still go into the classroom to teach.

However, in her latter years Emelia lamented on how politics had affected public education in the country, particularly how rural schools were neglected. What bothered her was the neglect headmistresses in small rural schools faced in terms of access to amenities and basic tools for service, such as a car or even a school bus. She advocated for the development of schools in rural areas as a tool for poverty alleviation and people led growth in these areas.

Despite all these circumstances, she still believed in the education of all, especially the girl child. She also believed that the everyone, no matter the background or social, economic or political factors, could succeed when given the right education, guidance and attention by parents and guardians.

Every where she worked, she left the place better than she met it.

 

Timeline of teaching career (37 years)

1979-1980 Housemistress, Aburi Presbyterian Demonstration Girls Middle Boarding

1980-1981 Detached art and craft teacher, Salem Road Girls Middle & Presbyterian Boys Schools,

1981-1987 Assistant head of department, South Labadi Road State Home Science, Accra

1987-1987 Assistant head of department, Nungua Home Science Center, Accra

1987-1990 Study Leave

1990-1996 Head of life skills department, Association International School, Accra

1996-1998 Study Leave

1998-2005 Home Economics Teacher, Orielly Secondary School, Accra

2005-2006 Assistant Headmistress, Accra High School, Accra

2006-2009 Headmistress, Association International School, Accra

2009-2011 Accra Metropolitan Office of Education, Accra

2011-2015 Headmistress, Nsaba Diaspora Girls Senior High School, Nsawam

2015-2016 Headmistress, Klo Agogo Senior High School, Somanya

 

Religion

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand.”

 

Simply put, Emelia loved God. This could be the result of her having survived three major fatal motor accidents and other life threatening experiences. She was christened an Anglican at birth. However, as time went on she left for the Miracle Church of God in Christ at Nungua, where she was the lead interpreter.

Later on, she became a founding member of the Praise Community Church at Adenta where she was a Sunday school teacher and a member of the church board. There she was also a member of the women’s fellowship. Having experienced the love of God in a special way, she resolved to draw other family members to come to know him as well. Therefore, she set up a monthly first Sunday meeting where all family members met to pray together. 

 

Family

“I sustain myself with the love of family” ~ Maya Angelou~

When cupid struck Emelia’s heart, she fell in the arms of an amiable young man called Fredrick Lokko. The amorous relationship of the couple was admired and yearned for by all who came into contact with them. However, after 10 years of marriage, Frederick unfortunately died in a motor accident one fateful day in July. The devastating effect of this loss forced young Emmy to guard her love which later was released to take care of family and beyond. Her love for family was unfathomable. It was the kind that knew no bounds. She invested her salary in furthering the education of her siblings, even ensured the proper placements of her in-laws at good work places, helped to raise and facilitated the education of all the kids of her siblings.

She believed in cooperate living. To make the communal spirit unique, she coined certain vocabulary only understood by members of the family.

 

A Proverbs 31 Woman

 

Emelia was a born leader. At all social gathering she stood tall among the group. At weddings, birthdays or funerals she was conspicuous. She was every religious and participated in numerous church activities. Her past students’ groups were never left out and she participated in all activities, holding key positions in a few.

She enjoyed travelling and toured the length and breath of the country and continent just for site seeing and exploration during vacations. Her curiosity also took her to Togo, Benin, Cote D’Ivoire and to the Gambia to represent the YWCA at the world council of youth in Africa. She was in Switzerland to raise funds for Ghana YWCA internal youth skill training and her excellent approach made her exceed the expected target. She also visited the United states of America, Brazil and the United Kingdom on similar grounds.

She was a caterer with distinction and will not just pass by without making a comment on the food you are eating. Her classic comments were “Don’t eat wele”, ‘” remove the skin of the chicken before cooking it”, “Don’t eat cow leg and pork meat”. 

In all this we can only conclude that Miss Emelia Amartey-Quarcoo was a role model whose life should be emulated by all. She started from the bottom as a public school pupil and ended up with a university degree. She started as a Certificate” A” teacher and ended up as a deputy director.

She dedicated her life to God, country, family and friends. It was indeed a life well lived.

 

Achievement and Laurels

1998 Best floor rep Award, University College of Education, Winneba
2000 Best Teacher Award, O’rielly Secondary School, Accra
2000 Best Teacher Award, Accra Metropolitan

2000 Millennium National Best Teacher Award for Secondary Schools, Ghana

2001 Best Teacher Award Citation
2001 Ministry of Education  Special Award
2001 Metro Best Teacher  Award Scheme, Accra