64 students out of over 200 applicants in the Bongo District of Upper East Region have been given government scholarship to pursue various courses in tertiary institutions.
The Bongo district received a total amount of Ghc64,000 from the scholarship secretariat to support these poor but needy students to further their education at the tertiary level.
The students were awarded scholarship package ranging from Ghc800 to Ghc2,850.00 to lessen their financial burden.
Bongo District Chief Executive, Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga who presented letters of the scholarship awards to them said government of Ghana has credited into the accounts of schools of the beneficiary students.
Mr. Ayinbisa lauded government for decentralizing the scholarship awards which a good number of students from the Bongo district are benefiting.
“In the past, it would have been difficult for 64 students from Bongo District to gain scholarship, not even 1. But because of the decentralization policy, we have 64 students gaining scholarships”.
He appealed for further decentralization of recruitment process to enable deprived individuals benefit.
“So in some other sectors, we should begin looking at balancing of the equation to the extent that if it had to do with the recruitment of police, military, teachers we should give every district a quota. If we do that, people from less endowed districts will get the opportunity. Otherwise, well to do people, people who have connections are the only ones that will benefit. I urged government to continue doing decentralization so that everybody coming from any nuke and cranny of this country can get some support from this government”.
Speaking on the criteria for selecting the students, the DCE said the process was made open through public averts for qualified students to apply devoid of political or family relations.
Mr. Ayinbisa said the beneficiary students stand to be awarded again in the next academic year based on their conduct and performance.
He entreated them to take up their studies serious and “not to emulate blindly the lifestyle of friends who are coming from well-endowed places” instead, “concentrate on their books to become better persons in the future”.
Akanbole Comfort, a second year student of the Zuarungu Nursing Training College who first saw the advertisement on social media and applied while thanking government for the support said authorities of the school were “sacking us that if we don’t pay our fees we will not write the coming exams. So we were frustrated”.
Another student of the Zuarungu NTC Stephen Nkoo said “I have been going through stress on how to pay my school fees and I think this scholarship will help me”.
Mercy Awinpanga while thanking government indicated that her father’s “business is no longer going on well but the government scholarship has come to support me in my education”.
Source:A1Radioonline.com|Joshua Asaah
