Over 600 Ghanaian students are to benefit from a novel scholarship packages from the Jospong Group of Companies to study at the RUDN University in Russia in the next five years.
The award of scholarships, which are in the areas of Agriculture, Information Technology, Integrated Waste Management, and Climate Change Studies, will benefit 120 Ghanaian students each year from this year until 2029.
This historic initiative was finalised last Friday, in Accra, after the Jospong Group through the Asian African Consortium (AAC), a subsidiary of the Jospong Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the RUDN University in Accra.
The landmark event was witnessed by the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, and the Russian Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Sergei Berdnikov.
Applauding the Jospong Group for pioneering the initiative, Mr Bagbin was hopeful that Ghana’s best days are yet to come.
“This is the beginning of great things to happen,” he stated.
He added that Russia had always been a friend to Ghana and commended them for taking the relationship from government level to the private sector.
The Executive Chairman of Jospong Group, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, assured the stakeholders of the readiness of his company to absorb the students after completion of their education.
“Gone are days when you finish your education and you stay behind because of lack of opportunities back home, but I want to assure that Jospong is ready to work with you so come and let’s develop Ghana together,” he assured.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Asian African Consortium, Mrs Adelaide Siaw Agyepong, in her remarks noted that “this was a unique collaboration to enhance climate change and agriculture in the country.”
She further explained that the knowledge and the skills acquired would be most beneficial to Ghana.
She added that the initiative would open doors to talented and passionate individuals who would have faced several challenges in accessing quality education outside of Ghana.
She also highlighted knowledge transfer that the collaboration would bring to the beneficiaries and the country.
She again encouraged the beneficiary students to return to Ghana and help with the country’s development after their skill acquisition.
The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, who was full of praise for Dr Adjepong, observed that the partnership was novel and very unique because a private actor was leading the charge in education scholarship of such magnitude.
“The better days of our nation is ahead of us, and Jospong is showing us that a private sector is more than capable to change the narrative,” he noted.
A representative of RUDN University, Dr Masamba Kakh, in brief remark noted RUDN University was the gateway to Russian education system and Russian industry which aimed to prepare specialists specifically for industrial projects.
“We try to link tertiary education in Africa with industrial companies in the way that education system and education process support development of specialist that can seamlessly go into employment with the right skill set of theoretical and practical knowledge,” he emphasised.
The Russian Ambassador to Ghana, Serga Berdnikov, assured that the Embassy was ready to swiftly process the documents of beneficiary students in order to enable them to travel to Russia for their studies.
This initiative was attained in collaboration with the National Service Secretariat, Ghana Scholarship Secretariat (Office of the President), University of Ghana, Legon, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Pentecost University, University of Development Studies, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, University for Development Studies and other partners.
The packages also includes competitive olympiad exams in Integrated Waste Management and Climate Change.
The collaboration marks a pivotal step in enhancing educational opportunities for Ghanaian youth. The ceremony signifies the commencement of a partnership aimed at creating lasting impacts in agriculture, information technology, integrated waste management, and climate change studies.
Representing RUDN University was a seven-member delegation, led by Prof. Sergey Elansky, a renowned expert in Agrobiotech Technology and a Consultant for Major Agricultural Holdings in Russia.
In a significant gesture, over 500 National Service Personnel who engaged in the agricultural sector were present to witness this historic event.
BY TIMES REPORTER
