By Alex Baah Boadi
Benchemaa (WN/R) Feb. 27, GNA – Dr Alex Ampaabeng, a Tax/Fiscal Policy Analyst, has launched a scholarship scheme with GHS10,000 as seed money to support brilliant but needy pupils within the Juabose District of the Western North Region.
As part of the scheme, the 12 best students – two boys and 10 girls – in the last Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), were awarded.
They were selected from the nine circuits of the district and included the Best Female Student and the Overall Best Student of the Juaboso Education Directorate.
They received cash prizes ranging from GHS1000 to GHS3000.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the launch, Dr Ampaabeng said the success of the free Senior High School Policy depended largely on the basic level, hence the need for basic school pupils to give off their best.
The donation, he said, would limit the burden on parents as their children pursued senior high education.
Dr Ampaabeng called on other well-to-do individuals and institutions to support students from the Juaboso District to develop human capital, which was vital to national growth.
He pledged to expand the scholarship scheme to the tertiary level soon and institute another scheme to support teachers to further their education.
Mr Kwaku Afanyo Francis, the Mr Kwabena Musa, Mr Eric Ansah Agyare, and Mrs Christiana Boateng were appointed trustees of the scheme.
Mr Eric Ansah Agyare, the Deputy Director in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation, Juaboso Education Directorate, lauded the initiative and said it would improve upon the standard of education in the area.
He also called on residents of Juaboso to support the scheme to help needy but brilliant students to climb higher the academic ladder, while pledging the support of the Directorate towards the scheme.
The Best Female BECE Student, Pricilla Kyerema, took home GHS2000, while the Overall Best Juaboso District Student, Emmanuella Osei, took home GHS3000 and a brand-new tablet.
Nana Agyei Sikapa, Odikro for Kantankrubo, called on others to emulate the example set by Dr Ampabeng to upgrade the living standards in the area.
Emmanuella Osei, on behalf of the beneficiary students, commended Dr Ampaabeng for the donation and pledged that they would take their studies seriously to make their parents, teachers, and nation proud.
GNA