Accra, Sept. 13, GNA- The Vakpo Traditional Area Council Education Endowment Fund (VATRACEEF) has awarded scholarships to six brilliant but needy students in Junior and Senior High Schools to mark the Fund's first anniversary celebrations.
The beneficiaries, five girls and one boy, were Edem Akoli, Rita Doku, Rejoice Daako, Mary Amoah, Kekeli Bakoyeya and Ruth Dzanka .
The institution of the award a year ago has generated a lot of healthy competition among students, resulting in some schools at Vakpo scoring hundred per cent in the 2011 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). It has also subsequently been declared the best in the whole of the Kpando District.
In his welcome address at the ceremony, Togbega Gbogbolulu V, Paramount Chief of the Vakpo Traditional Area and the brain behind the Funds, said the Area Council was concerned about the hitherto downward trend in the area's educational record, adding that some schools even scored zero per cent in the BECE exams.
"But today, I am very proud to announce to the world that just 12 months after its establishment, the VATRACEEF has positively transformed education in the area and beyond, with some schools passing with aggregate six, he said.
Togbega said education in general and that of the girl child in particular was very dear to the Council's heart, hence the decision to promote them through the award of scholarships.
Togbega said due to prudent management, the Fund had increased significantly to over 40,000 Ghana cedis from the initial seed money of 10,000 Ghana cedis, saying 93I am very confident that we will achieve our 100,000 Ghana cedis target by the year 2015."
Togbega Gbogbolulu appealed to the Government, philanthropists, non-governmental organizations, citizens of Vakpo and other individual sympathisers to help establish a permanent secretariat and raise enough funds for the sustenance of VATRACEEF.
Mr Joseph Amenowode, Volta Regional Minister in an address read on his behalf, described Togbega and his Traditional Council's initiative to establish the education endowment fund as exemplary leadership.
He said Togbega and his elders were selfless and visionaries, who exhibited a high sense of compassion for the future of their communities through such a wise decision to provide quality education in the area.
Mr Amenowode said VATRACEEF was meant to build the capacity of the youth of Vakpo and its surrounding communities, who would also in no small measure, contribute their quota to national development after some years.
He was expressed the hope that the beneficiaries will acquire the cutting edge technologies and knowledge needed to bring investment and development to transform Vakpo into a modern city.
Mr Francis Ganyaglo, Kpando District Chief Executive analyzing the BECE results said 57 per cent passed in 2011, compared with 43 per cent in 2010, adding that only 3 schools recorded zero per cent this year as against 10 last year.
"I wish to mention that out of the analysis, Vakpo Cornerstone Complex emerged the first school out of 54 schools in order of merit based on aggregates in the Kpando District. And also the only school that recorded two aggregate six (6), a boy and a girl in the whole District.
"This may not be good enough but I am confident that our efforts have started yielding positive results for the attainment of the ultimate goal", he said, urging the beneficiaries not to relent in their efforts but to live up to expectation for their own benefit and the general benefit of Vakpo community at large.
There were solidarity messages from the Regional Director of Education, and a representative of the Board of Directors of VATRACEEF, all promising their unflinching support for the Fund.
In appreciation, Togbega Gbogbolulu V presented five computers to the Cornerstone Complex School for lifting high the name of Vakpo during the recent BECE exams.
