The management of Izwe Loans Limited, a subsidiary of Izwe Group of Companies on Monday presented scholarship packages to 10 successful applicants for the 2012/2013 tertiary academic year in Accra.

The initiative under its One Million Ghana Cedis Public Sector Tertiary Education Scholarship Fund, seeks to contribute to the country's human resource development.

Mr. Mahama Ayariga, Deputy Minister of Education, said the cost of providing quality tertiary education had become expensive for any government especially developing countries, therefore, government welcomed support from partners to ensure access to higher education.

“Education should be the responsibility of both government and the private sector,” he added.

He announced that students in the private universities could now access the student loan provided by government, and entreated beneficiaries to remain devoted to their studies and seize the opportunity presented them to develop themselves.

Professor Kofi Agyekum, Chairman of Izwe Scholarship Board, said the company was awarding scholarships to brilliant but needy children of public sector workers who wished to pursue higher education.

He congratulated the beneficiaries for winning the scholarship to further their education and urged them to work hard and not rest on their oars to justify the investment being made in them.

Prof Kwame Offei, Provost, College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, University of Ghana, called on corporate institutions to emulate the good works of Izwe Loans for its contribution to education.

He commended the management for their efforts to develop the country's human resource base for national development.

Mr. Abedi Ayew Pele, a stakeholder in the company, lauded the initiative and said it would continue to empower people through education for national development.

Master Deku Godsway, a beneficiary of the loan, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity given to him and his colleagues to pursue university education.**