MasterCard Foundation programme promotes academic successs
The Dean of Students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Kofi Owusu-Daaku, has advised students to continuously pursue knowledge in order to remain relevant in the fast- changing world.
He said the desire to seek knowledge and discover new areas was the driving force in providing solutions to human existence and sustaining lives.
Dr Owusu-Daaku was addressing 300 beneficiaries of an international scholarship programme, the MasterCard Foundation, at this year’s summer school of the KNUST, which is in the third year of the programme.
The MasterCard Foundation
The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Programme at KNUST provides academically talented yet economically disadvantaged young people in Ghana and Africa with access to quality and relevant university education.
The 300 students from all the seven colleges of the university are made up of 50 final year students,100 second year students and 150 first years.
The 10-year programme, which is to give hope to brilliant, poor students, is to cover up to 700 students within the period.
The $500 million programme is also to equip students, including those from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, with the knowledge and leadership skills needed to contribute to economic and social progress across Africa.
Dr Owusu-Daaku said the problem with young graduates was that the moment they achieved their first target, they ceased to enhance themselves to impact their societies.
He urged them to strive for perfection and to have the drive to soar higher in the pursuit of knowledge.
Summer school
The summer school for the beneficiaries is to train them in how to tackle practical life situations and healthy lifestyle issues.
Beyond the academic work, students seize the opportunity to take to one sporting discipline and also to socialise.
It embodies an array of mentoring and cultural transition services to ensure student academic success, community engagement and transition to employment opportunities which will further social and economic change for Africa.
