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The Chief of Berekuso, Odeefuo Oteng Korankye II, has cautioned politicians and future governments against over-politicisation of the ‘Free Senior High School (SHS)’ programme.

According to Odeefuo Korankye, this is to ensure the sustainability of the programme after the exit of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

Odeefuo Korankye made this known to the DAILY HERITAGE at Berekuso when his educational fund dubbed ‘Odeefuo Oteng Korankyi Educational Fund’ rewarded students from his traditional area who excelled in the Basic Education Certificate Examination.

According to him, the free SHS programme is a major policy that could propel the country’s development, and therefore should not be destroyed like the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

“The free SHS is a good policy and the President has started well, but my appeal to them [the Presidents and his officials] is that they must put in place checks that would sustain the policy so that in future it does not draw us backward.

“We do not want to see the policy of free SHS turn like the NHIS which started on a good note but same cannot be said today. We ought to move forward at all times. We are therefore pleading with the government to ensure good checks are put in place to sustain this policy,” he reminded.

About 400,000 students are expected to benefit from the education policy that will exempt them from paying for tuition and other fees.

Oteng Korankye Educational Fund

Mrs Rebecca Awuah, the board chairperson of Odeefuo Oteng Korankye 11 Educational Fund who doubles as a faculty member at the Ashesi University, said the university was ready to reward hard-working students with scholarships.

Mrs Awuah, who is also the wife of the President of the Ashesi University, said it was an honour for her to take part in raising funds to support needy but hard-working students.

According to her, the scholarship represents “our hope of the youth for the future in this area and Odeefuo Oteng Korankye believes education is the path to development and so the board has joined him to help in raising the youth who have excelled.

As a faculty member at Ashesi, I hope that some of the youth would have scholarship at Ashesi.”

Qualification

Explaining how the beneficiaries were chosen, Odeefuo Korankye said the board and management team of the foundation went to the West African Examination Council to access all the results of the candidates who represented Berekuso.

He said after the checks the 11 pupils who scored aggregate 9 to 26 qualified to enjoy scholarships under his educational fund.

“My educational fund would support every child performing well in education, not necessarily those who come from Berekuso but children within my jurisdiction,” the chief said.

Cash beneficiaries

The 11 beneficiaries were presented with drinks, books, buckets, calculators, mattresses, mops, pillows, napkins and a cash of GH¢ 750.00 each.

The beneficiaries are Ebenezer Darko (Berekuso), Elvis Quist (Berekuso), Patricia Opare (Agyemanti), Asantewaa Esther Ababio (Nsakye) and Sallah Godwin (Adenkrebi).

The others are Suttah Isaac (Adenkrebi), Natasia Boateng (Konkonuru), Prosper Abotsi, (Berekuso Fidelity), Ayi Sakyi Benedict (Fidelity), Danso Radayah (Kojokrom) and Afari Jessica (Asarebea).

He expects to spend GH¢ 3,000.00 on each student every year.