Vodafone Ghana offers scholarships to female SHS students
Vodafone Ghana, in partnership with the British Council, has awarded scholarships to 100 senior high school female students to help them pursue their education.
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The scholarship, sponsored by Vodafone Ghana and managed by the British Council, comprises a full three-year tuition fee and the provision of other educational materials.
Scholarship
Speaking at the launch in Accra, the Director of External Affairs at Vodafone-Ghana, Mr Gayheart Mensah, said the initiative was meant to encourage more females to take up courses related to science, technology and mathematics.
“There is a male dominance with respect to the study of science, mathematics, engineering and technology related courses and we want to bridge that gap by assisting the females with some financial support for them to pursue those courses,” he said and pointed out that it was perceived that most femalestudents were not interested in maths and science related courses.
Explaining further, he stated that the scholarship was meant for the three-year stay of the beneficiaries in SHS, indicating that although the company had not yet made provisions to extend its scholarship scheme to the tertiary level, there would be a provision to that effect if the scheme was reviewed in future.
Mr Mensah said the initiative was also part of efforts to develop a critical mass of young females with interest in technology and science who would eventually fall into the category of the company’s employee requirement.
“Vodafone is a technology organisation and we are looking at the possibility of having a lot more females with high standards of technological background who would eventually become assets to the company,” he said.
He emphasised that the students risked forfeiting their scholarship if their performance fell below a certain grade point at the end of an academic year.
Minister’s address
In his address, the Deputy Minister for Education, Mr Alex Kyeremeh, stated that the initiative had come at an appropriate time where mathematics, science and technology were gradually being included in every area of study.
“This initiative has come at an opportune time because with the present world dispensation, the interest of the girl-child in the study of mathematics, science and technology has to be whipped-up. This would eventually help them overcome and demystify the fears associated with those courses,” he said.
Mr Kyeremeh added that it had been established that it was easier to retain females in their fields of study as compared to their male counterparts and expressed gratitude on behalf of the Ministry of Education to the company for such a laudable idea and entreated the beneficiaries to do more and also contribute to national growth and development.
Resources
For her part, the Country Director of the British Council, Ms Liliana Biglou, said the council was glad to be associated with such an initiative and would do its best to ensure its success.
She reiterated that even though the initiative was solely funded by Vodafone Ghana, the British Council would make available its staff and resources to ensure the sustainability of the project, adding that education is one of the most important ways to develop every nation.
