By James Amoh Junior, GNA
Accra, Oct. 3, GNA-The Automation Ghana Group (TAGG) has supported the education of 21 pupils of the Baatsona Primary and Junior High Schools (JHS) through its Process & Plant Automation Limited (PPA) Future Leaders’ Fund Scholarship programme.
The scholarship aims at ensuring that children in need receive quality education despite financial challenges.
Since 2016, the PPA Future Leaders Fund Scholarship Award Programme from the PPA, an electrical engineering solutions provider and part of The Automation Ghana Group, has been dedicated to giving pupils identified as being at risk of dropping out of school a new lease to life.
On the 9th scholarship award presentation ceremony, TAGG reaffirmed its commitment, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), to sustaining the educational dreams of pupils from Baatsona Primary and JHS.
This year, like 2023, the scholarship programme has enrolled 21 pupils, spanning kindergarten to Junior High School (JHS), ensuring they have the necessary supplies and support to continue their education.
The programme covers school levies, uniforms, school bags, shoes, textbooks, and other school stationery, enabling students to focus on their academic growth without financial distractions.
A notable feature of the scholarship programme is the Infinity Club, a strategy to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) learning initiative.
The main aim of the club is to ignite the interest of students in science and technology using science sets to enable the students to come up with innovative ideas for their personal development and to possibly consider the area of science and technology for their career development.
Originally designed for 24 students, the club’s participation has grown to 74 students due to its popularity and a demonstration of the pupils’ eagerness to engage in enriching extracurricular activities.
Ms. Winnie Wekete Sinabisi, the Human Resource and Administration Manager of TAGG, speaking at the brief presentation ceremony, said the company had maintained all pupils from last year’s programme for 2024 except for those who had passed out of JHS three.
“We have not found a reason to take any child off the programme neither have we been faced with a case of school dropout. We are also pleased with their academic progress over the year,” she said.
Over the past academic year, TAGG has reported significant progress among scholarship recipients as pupils have shown academic improvement, meeting the program’s expectations, she stated.
Ms Sinabisi said the company’s focus on providing holistic support, including educational materials and financial aid, remained a core part of its CSR vision.
TAGG’s long-term aim, she noted, was to equip these future leaders with the education and skills needed to contribute positively and meaningfully to society.
She expressed appreciation to the teachers and parents who had contributed to the success of the programme and ensured that the pupils reached their full potential.
Mr. Isaac MacCarthy-Mensah, the Tema West Municipal Director of Education, said the Government of Ghana’s free School Feeding Programme had increased school enrolment in public schools, despite challenges such as overcrowding in classrooms.
The School Feeding Programme, he said, had encouraged parents to send their children to public schools, thus causing a surge in enrolment figures.
The Municipal Education Director noted that while the government had initiated some projects to address the accommodation shortage, including the construction of a primary school blocks at Sraha Primary and four other projects through the Social Investment Fund (SIF), much more needed to be done.
He called on private sector organizations to assist in providing infrastructure and resources to manage the growing student population.
Ms Rita Nutsugah, caregiver of 9-year-olds Blessing Afriyie Panyin and Grace Afriyie Kakra, beneficiaries of the scholarship programme, thanked The Automation Ghana Group (TAGG) for the continuous educational support.
GNA