The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), has awarded scholarships to 100 brilliant but needy basic school students in the metropolis to enable them to complete their education.

The beneficiaries included two students who passed their Basic Education Certificate Examinations and gained admission into Senior High School (SHS) in the 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 academic years.

Mr Robert Kempes Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, who announced these to journalists on Wednesday at Tema, said the awards formed part of the assembly’s initiative to develop the human resource base of the metropolis and to reduce the school drop-out rate among children of poor parents in the metropolis.

He recounted that in 2010, the assembly released GH¢50,000 of its share of the Common Fund to support such students.

Mr Ofosuware advised the beneficiaries to learn hard and pass their examinations to justify the awards, since the package would be withdrawn if they perform poorly.

Mrs Ivy Kumi, Chairperson of the Scholarship Select Committee of the Assembly, said more than 200 students applied for the scholarship last year and this year.

She said the beneficiaries were selected after interviews were carried out to ascertain whether they were really needy.

Mrs Kumi, who is also the Public Relations Officer for the Tema Metropolitan Education Directorate, said that, the Kpone Traditional Council, Tema Traditional Council, Assembly Members of Tema East, Tema West and Kpone were consulted in the selection of the beneficiaries.

Miss Irene Dede Tetteh, a student of the Chemu SHS, on behalf of the beneficiaries thanked the assembly for the awards, and promised that they would study hard and pass their examinations.**