Mankessim (C/R), May 21, GNA - The Mankessim Programme Area of Plan Ghana, a child-centred non-governmental body has offered scholarships to 305 students to pursue Senior High School education and also for apprenticeship in some vocations during the last three years. Two hundred and ninety-seven students in Senior High Schools benefited from the package whilst eight youth who were under apprenticeship in some vocations were also covered. Mr. Jacob Turkson, the Area Manager told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the scholarship covered tuition, boarding and final examination fee for the duration of their courses.

He said the Mankessim Programme Area covered 44 communities in the Mfantseman Municipality and Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District. Mr. Turkson said as child development oriented organization, Plan Ghana had noted that provision of school infrastructure, furniture, stationery, uniforms and capacity building of teachers alone could not help in achieving its goal, hence the introduction of the scholarship scheme to assist brilliant but needy students.

"Our efforts to facilitate development of the child will be meaningless unless they enrolled," the Programme Area Manager stated. He cautioned parents against using the scheme as an opportunity to shirk their responsibilities towards their children. Mr. Turkson said the organization was very careful in the selection of the beneficiaries of the scheme to prevent the children of the rich from hijacking it.

"The scheme is strictly for needy children," he added.