Twenty winners of the President’s Special Independence Awards throughout the country on Monday were presented with scholarships valued at 7 million cedis to cover their boarding and lodging.

The awards follow their excellent performance in last year’s Basic Certificate Examination, their participation in extra curricular activities, particularly sports, community service, leadership roles and exemplary conduct and good moral behaviour.

Additionally they will each receive a special anniversary cash of 5 million cedis, a special book prize and a certificate jointly signed by the President and the Minister of Education and Science and Sports.

The value of the scholarship will be adjusted as and when school fees are adjusted.

Also awarded were St James Secondary School in Sunyani and Archbishop Porter Girls in Takoradi for emerging winner and runners up respectively in the national schools debate competition.

The schools received computers and cash prizes. The topic for the competition was “The Blackman is Capable of Managing His Own Affairs.

The Vice President, Alhaji Ali Mahama who presented the awards urged the students and the youth in general to begin to have a scientific orientation to enable them to benefit from the globalization.

He said the government’s aim to attain a middle income status within a decade will be a mirage without an improvement in the quality of education coupled with well dedicated teachers and students.

That, he said the government’s new educational policy which would be launched in September this year has made science, technology and mathematics its central pillars.

The Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Papa Owusu Ankomah said any award winner who is already enjoining other scholarship would have to relinquish that in order to take the President’s Independence Day Scholarship Award.

Source: The Ghanaian Times