The Bluecrest University College has offered scholarship to 30 Senior High School students from the Greater Accra and Volta Region to pursue a four -year degree programme.
The beneficiaries came out best after a competitive examination was conducted to identify the brilliant students in the various public schools and awarded them scholarship ranging from 50 to 100 per cent in the tuition fee.
Delivering the keynote address at the short but impressive ceremony, Kwasi Etu-Bonde, Member of Parliament for Kintampo-North asked the awardees to count themselves lucky for being selected from over 4,000 students who participated in the competitive examination.
He said that the axiom which stated that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’’ should become their watchword to guide them to be useful to society after completing their education.
Mr Etu-Bonde said they should become the scholars who would take decision using the acquired knowledge, skills and experience that result in efficient and effective implementation of actions leading to the wellbeing of societies.
He commended the university college for an initiative of public-private partnership which sought to promote student support schemes like the scholarships being offered for quality education in the country.
‘’You have contributed immensely to the manpower development, especially in the area of ICT education for the good people of Ghana and we appreciate that very much,’’ he said.
Mr Etu-Bonde said Ghana and Africa needed well-crafted knowledge, talented and skilled personnel to convert her rich natural resources to economic benefit and massive development saying, “I therefore entreat all the beneficiaries to open their brains to the new rays of light to be filled with knowledge and wisdom.”
Professor Sunil Kumar Roy, the Rector of Bluecrest College said the main objective of the scholarship was to help promote girls in ICT education to provide affordable education to the brilliant but economically challenged applicants.
“We also want to recognise talents and equip them through formal education and also foster the young minds to be mindful of the challenges faced by the community and develop solutions to empower the nation,” he said.
He said since the college was established nine years ago, it has graduated more than 1000 students in the ICT, business, journalism and fashion and design adding that the current population size of the college was 1,100 students from 20 different nationalities.
“We all know that technology is the future, and to our surprise, we found that many female candidates are not coming forward to take ICT as their career. Being a frontrunner in ICT education. Bluecrest College has decided to award presidential scholarships to promote women in ICT,” he said.
About 4000 students participated in the competitive examination in the Greater Accra and Volta Region. 120 of the students were shortlisted for an interview after which 30 finally benefitted based on their performance in their examination and their performance in WASSCE.
BY LAWRENCE MARKWEI
