21 Ghanaian students to study in China
Twenty-one Ghanaian students have been offered scholarship by the Chinese government to further their education in China.
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The students are to pursue postgraduate and undergraduate programmes in Chinese universities.
The scholarship granted to some of the students were facilitated by the Lordina Foundation, which was founded by the First Lady, Lordina Mahama.
The latest scholarship brings to more than 500 the number of Ghanaian students who have benefited from Chinese educational sponsorship.
The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Sun Baohong, made this known at a farewell reception for the scholarship beneficiaries in Accra.
The occasion was also used to welcome back students who had completed their education in China on the scholarship programme.
The reception was attended by Mrs Mahama, the Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, and Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
Chinese contribution
Addressing the gathering, Ms Sun said the Chinese government was committed to supporting the government of Ghana to promote education.
In that regard, she said, China had also helped to build educational facilities such as the campus of the University for Health and Allied Sciences in Ho in the Volta Region.
To promote vocational training in Ghana, the Ambassador said, the Chinese government would help with the implementation of the upgrading of polytechnic and vocational school projects with financing from the China Export and Import Bank.
She said education was the key to socio-economic transformation in developing countries such as Ghana.
Ms Sun stressed that the youth were the hope and future of Africa and therefore, advised the students to make good use of the opportunity offered them and build their potential to tackle challenges that confronted them and the nation.
She commended the first lady for her personal dedication to education and humanitarian works across the country.
Appreciation
Mrs Mahama expressed appreciation to the Chinese government for its immense support to the country and her foundation.
She said under the Chinese government’s scholarship programme, her foundation had been helped to extend assistance to some students to further their education in China.
She indicated that China’s scholarship offered Ghanaian students was the second highest on the continent, while current trade between the two countries was ranked fifth in Africa.
“Over the last 50 years, China has shown its readiness not only to strengthen bilateral relations with Ghana, but also has invested in key sectors of the economy”, she added.
Mrs Mahama advised the students who had returned from China after their studies to use the knowledge they had acquired to help promote the economic and social development of the country.
She urged those going to study there to conduct themselves well as they would be Ghana’s ambassadors in China and help strengthen the trade and diplomatic relations between the two countries.