Bright Senior High School, in partnership with Blyth Academy in Canada and Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly, has unveiled a scholarship scheme to sponsor brilliant Junior High School (JHS) leavers, through Senior High Schools (SHS) and into tertiary institutions in Ghana or Canada.
This initiative, part of Bright SHS Corporate Social Responsibility, aims to bridge the transition deficit from SHS to tertiary
Statistics by African Education Watch show a drop in the percentage of students transitioning from SHS to tertiary studies.
“The second batch of free SHS graduates completed WASSCE in 2021 with 446k candidates, of which 164k (36%) entered tertiary in 2021/22. The 2022 data suggests that some 280k SHS graduates could not proceed to tertiary that year.”
The Executive Director Kofi Asare attributed the declining transition rate to financing challenges for needy students.
The scholarship scheme will ensure that beneficiaries will receive free education at Bright SHS, a private institution of academic excellent, and the top-performing student will receive a GHC 10,000 prize, the first runner-up GHC 5,000, and the second runner-up GHC 3,000 for their upkeep, then sponsored to University in Ghana or Canada.
Applicants must be interested in pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics-related courses at the University.
The scholarship is open to all brilliant JHS graduates nationwide, starting from the 2024/2025 academic year.
Applicants must be JHS graduates and present either their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results or terminal reports and birth certificates if awaiting BECE results.
Free application forms are available on the Bright SHS social media platforms and in hard copy at the school and the Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly.
An independent panel, including representatives from the Municipal Education Directorate and experienced tutors, will assess applicants on Mathematics, Science, and English proficiency.
The assessment will take place on August 23, 2024, at the school premises.
Vice President of the Bright SHS, Mr. Dominic Acquah said the school will provide free accommodation and meals for applicants and their parents traveling from distant areas.
Alhaji Umar Bodinga, Municipal Chief Executive for Abuakwa North, urged parents to encourage their qualified children to apply for the scholarship.
He also noted the government’s goal to increase the transition rate of high school graduates to university from 35% in 2022 to 50% within the next three years.
Bright SHS, located in Akyem Kukurantumi near Koforidua, has been recognized as the best private SHS in Ghana for 2021 by the West Africa International Press Limited, and the best private school in the Abuakwa North municipality in December 2022 by the Assembly’s education oversight Committee.
Prominent figures, including the Municipal Chief Executive for Abuakwa North, Alhaji Umar Bodinga, and Dr. Martin Otu Offei, a Senior Lecturer at Koforidua Technical University who enrolled their children in the school at a recent graduation praised the school for its academic excellence.
Bright SHS’s partnership with Canada’s Blyth Academy was secured last year to provide opportunities for Ghanaian students.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah
