By Patrick Biddah
The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation ( BOST) company, has provided funding for 50 students being the cost of their education.
The 50 students who were drawn from deprived communities across the country, are to be trained at the University of Mines and Technology ( Umats) in engineering to help augment needs of institutions after their studies.
The Ghc 1.5m, which will cover the entire four years of the students in school, is in fulfillment of the Cooperate Social Responsibility ( CSR) of BOST and is being undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
Speaking at a ceremony on Wednesday April 26, 2023 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, the Director of Legal at BOST, Mrs. Harriet Amoah, who represented the Managing Director, indicated that the scholarship is giving back to the communities it operates in.
“Our cooperate social responsibility is to maximize the creation of a sustainable and shared value for for its shareholders and for other shareholders and the whole of society in which it operates “, she stressed.
With BOST having a CSR policy which focuses on health, poverty eradication, environmental protection and education, Mrs. Amoah, underscored the fact that funding of the education of these students was in line with their policy.
The partnership, she noted was conceived in December 2021 which was to see BOST provide scholarship to needy but brilliant students throughout the country to pursue courses in engineering and computer science at seven public universities.
The funding, however, will cover the accommodation, tuition, laptop and stipend to support their upkeep in school .
From an initial 200 candidates, out of which 50 were selected, the Director of Legal explained that the beneficiary students were selected in areas which are impacted by activities of BOST.
These areas, she mentioned are Kpone and Shai Osudoku in the Greater Accra region, Lower Manya and Asuogyamanin the Eastern region, Kaasi in the Ashanti region and Central Gonja districts in the Savannah region.
The rest are Savelugu in the Northern region, West Mamprusi in the North East region and Bolgatanga in the Upper East region.
In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said the scholarship programme is one such idea by government to pursue an agenda for the Science, Technical , Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM) learning amongst students with the aim of training as many students in that area.
According to him , there is the potential to achieve this vision which is why many more corporate organizations are needed to support in realizing this goal.
For this reason , the Minister said the education of these students will be centred on subjects such us petrochemical, electronic, cyber security and electrical engineering.
In view of the fact that the progarmme is a partnership one , the Ministry is expected to provide internship opportunists for them as well and facilitate their national service posting in line with their chosen course of study. There would be mentorship and coaching orientations for the students after their education as well.
The Minister revealed among others that the target is to give scholarship to 2,000 students.
Interestingly , the selection was done with the involvement of chiefs and opinion leaders in the jurisdiction of the beneficiaries.
