Toase (Ash), Aug 2, GNA - The Atwima-Mponua Rural Bank at Toase has awarded scholarships totalling 20 million cedis to 100 basic school pupils and 13 senior secondary school students in the area. The bank has so far spent over 40 million cedis as scholarships on for 257 brilliant but needy students made up of 220 basic school pupils and 37 second-cycle students over the past three years.

Mr B.B. Yirenkyi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank, who was speaking at the presentation ceremony at Toase on Monday, urged individuals and organisations to supplement the Government's efforts at improving education, since it could not finance the sector alone. Mr Yirenkyi said beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme who would excel academically and be disciplined would be supported by the Bank to pursue education at the tertiary level.

A committee, he said, had been set up to monitor the academic performance and behaviour of the beneficiaries. The 100 beneficiaries were presented with school uniforms, school bags and stationery.