The Atwima- Kwanwoma Rural Bank has given scholarships totalling 13 million cedis to 65 pupils in basic schools in its area of operation. Each pupil will get 200,000 cedis to cover uniforms, examination fees, school fees and books.

Speaking at the handing over of cheques to the beneficiaries in Kumasi during the opening of the bank's Ayigya agency at the weekend, Mr. Godfried Odame-Asare, the Supervising Manager of the bank, said in 1999, the bank set up a committee to study the special needs of the communities in its operational area.

"The committee considered the vital role education plays in the human resource development of the community and therefore threw its searchlight on the state of primary schools in the area."

Mr. Odame-Asare said the committee identified deplorable conditions under which pupils studied. It concluded that dusty classrooms, loose and hanging roofs and uncompleted structures were the causes for poor patronage of schools.

In 1999 the bank tackled these problems by renovating most of the basic schools and supplied furniture to them.

The bank spent 30 million cedis to supply furniture to several schools and named the beneficiaries as Bebu, Nkoransa, Kwanwoma, Pakyi Numbers One and Two, Ampabame, Brofoyedru and Adjamesu.

Mr. Odame-Asare said last year the bank granted scholarships to 73 pupils from basic schools around Pakyi and explained that the criteria used for the scholarship award was to hand pick the best JSS student in each class.

The bank also presented awards to teachers whose pupils passed well in the recent Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in science, mathematics and English.

The best teacher in each subject got ?500,000 and the second best had ?300,000 and the overall best teacher got one million cedis.

It donated six million cedis to the district teachers' awards for the Amansie East and West and the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma districts.

The bank also presented a wheel chair bought at the cost of one ?1 million to Master Eric Atta Yeboah, a brilliant cripple who had completed Opoku Ware School to enable him continue his education at the Kumasi Polytechnic in addition to cash of ?200,000 for the purchase of books.

The bank presented a cheque for ?10 million to the Otumfuo Education Fund.