Photo: The students and in front from left: Bernice Sam, External Relations Manager of Aker Energy, Awulae Attibrukusu III, Paramount chief of Lower Axim Traditional Area, Unni Skogen, wife of Aker Energy Country Manager, Alfred Ayah, Regional Manager for Petroleum Commission.
Celebrating the impact of the Aker Energy-GNPC Scholarship programme
(6 August 2019, Takoradi) As we go into the eight year of the Aker Energy-GNPC Scholarship we are ready to welcome our 1000th scholar this school year. With this important milestone approaching, we have taken the opportunity to look back at the legacy of success created by those who have passed through the programme thus far and celebrate their achievements.
The programme
The Aker Energy-GNPC scholarship supports children from communities in the coastal districts of the Western Region through their time in Senior High School.
The scholarship offers financial assistance by providing pocket money and basic school items in addition to students support in the form of mentoring, follow-ups and career counselling, encouraging students to continue their education beyond Senior High School.
The programme was started in 2012, following a comprehensive needs assessment of the coastal communities of the Western Region where access to education was identified as one of the key barriers to economic development and improved welfare. As the scholarship welcomes its 1000th student this school year, it is clear that the programme has lived up to its original mission.
Celebrating outstanding examination performance
This August the 2019 graduate beneficiaries of the Aker Energy Scholarship were celebrated for graduating with flying colours in their West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
Altogether 125 students passed WASCE with impressive results (120 from senior high school and 5 from nursing school). In the 2019 cohort, 2 students achieved 8A’s, 32 got 5A’s, 45 got 4A’s, whilst the remaining students swept home 3A’s, B’s and C’s.
Photo: Speaking at the celebration ceremony, External Relations Manager of Aker Energy, Mrs. Bernice Sam, was extremely proud and impressed with the students’ achievements during their Senior High School education.
Mrs. Bernice Sam further revealed that Aker and its partner organisations are in the process of developing a tertiary level scholarship programme which will soon cater for students to progress from the Senior High School level to higher education.
It can be difficult to pass any exam – even more difficult when you come from a small fishing village in the Western Region of Ghana. Despite this, one of the scholars scored all A’s in the eight subject final examinations. Since the establishment of the scholarship programme, this is the first time an Aker Energy Scholar has achieved this perfect score. The young student is the only person in her community to have attained this grade. She is a role model, and many young girls look to her for inspiration.
Meanwhile, the selection of scholars for 2019 is expected to commence as soon as the BECE results are released. A total of 200 students will be selected to enjoy the scholarship package as they enter Senior High School this fall.
Selecting the scholars of tomorrow
In preparation for this year’s intake, a selection panel has been appointed to interview and select the eighth cohort of 200 students from junior high to senior high school.
Selection of beneficiaries is vested in the communities who, through a transparent process, identify representatives to be on the interview panel. This has worked well for Aker Energy, ensuring that the target communities own the selection process. Each district panel is composed of representatives from the district assembly, education directorate, traditional council, fisherfolk association and the parent -teacher association. Aker Energy and the GNPC play supervisory roles during the interview process.
In August, a workshop was held with this year’s selection committee to prepare them for the work ahead. The workshop focused on best practices from similar scholarship programmes, transparency of the process, the eligibility criteria for students, and inclusiveness to ensure a fair balance in the number of male and female students, disability and remote communities. Participants were also given the opportunity to critique the selection process with the goal of further improving the process.
Photo: In August, the CSR team organised a capacity-building workshop for the selection panel for this year’s intake of students for the Aker Energy-GNPC Scholarship Programme.
Committed to Ghana, and to quality education
As the Aker Energy-GNPC Scholars Programme moves into another selection cycle we bid our young scholars good luck in school and in all their future pursuits. The programme continues to be an example of the importance of focused and long-term efforts to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, in this case that of increasing access to quality education. Furthermore, the programme demonstrates Aker Energy’s continued commitment to needs-based social investments, and to Ghana.
