Takoradi, Oct. 20, GNA - Four hundred school children, 15 teachers and 12 individuals were on Monday presented with scholarships and awards valued at 200 million cedis by Mr Joe Baidoe-Ansah, Member of Parliament for Effia-Kwesimintsim in the Western Region.

The children received a total of 22 million cedis in scholarships for the payment of school fees for the 2003-2004 academic year; school uniforms and exercise books, while the teachers and individuals received electrical appliances.

Presenting the items, Mr. Baidoe-Ansah said it should be the major concern of every individual to give back part of whatever they had acquired, to make education better.

He said the present conditions under which some students studied, coupled with the odds that teachers have to struggle with to make the governments policies on education possible, required periodic awards that would motivate both teachers and their pupils.

"The concern for brilliant school children in deprived communities cannot be overlooked since such children could drop out of school due to the inadequate societal support and parents inability to support and retain them in school".

Mr Baidoe-Ansah therefore, tasked the public and to contribute their quota towards moving education forward. Mr Joseph Quansah, former Metropolitan director of education, said the award was the first to be initiated within the Shama Ahanta East Metropolis.

He said such awards would open up more educational opportunities for children who would have abandoned their education along the line due to their parents' poor financial position. Mr Quansah urged individuals to emulate Mr Joe Baidoe-Ansah and set up similar schemes to support brilliant but needy children in their respective communities.