The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has addressed misconceptions surrounding the termination of its long-standing scholarship scheme and introduced a new educational initiative.

The board had previously announced the end of the scholarship scheme, citing the government’s implementation of the free senior high school education policy.

In its place, COCOBOD has established the Cocoa Board Education Trust, aimed at providing essential primary school infrastructure in underserved cocoa-growing communities.

However, some Ghanaians misinterpreted the move as a failure or collapse of the scholarship scheme, according to COCOBOD.

In a statement on Thursday, May 23, COCOBOD explained that the scholarship scheme was originally established to support the education of wards of cocoa farmers. With the introduction of free senior high school education, this scheme was no longer necessary.

Instead, the funds allocated to the scholarship scheme will now support education through the new COCOBOD Education Trust.

The trust aims to provide essential resources and infrastructure for basic schools in cocoa-growing communities, addressing the infrastructure gap between schools in deprived areas and those in urban centres.

The trust will provide resources such as classrooms, libraries, teachers’ bungalows, and other essential facilities to ensure a conducive learning environment for children.

COCOBOD emphasised that the trust is not a termination of its educational support programmes but rather a diversification of its efforts to better serve evolving educational needs in rural communities.

The Board, therefore, calls on Ghanaians to support the transition to enhance the educational system.

Read the statement below;