A non-governmental organization (NGO), Avance Media, has presented awards to 169 deserving female students in three second cycle schools in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Volta Region.
The students who were drawn from the Nkwanta Community Senior High Technical School, Nkwanta Senior High School and Kyabobo Girls Senior High School received award plaques with inscription “Be A Girl”.
The initiative is aimed at motivating young girls in underprivileged schools to take their lessons serious and work hard towards achieving academic excellence.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Managing Director of Avance Media, Prince Akpah, asserted that the educational gap between rural and urban Ghana contributes to the mass failure of candidates in examination in rural areas.
He added this informed a decision by his outfit to institutionalize an award scheme to recognize, motivate and mentor female students in rural areas.
Mr Akpah explained the awards would be categorized in leadership, sports and academic performances while awardees would be made mentors to guide and counsel their fellow female students.
He added that the award scheme would also curb school dropouts as academic underperformance of female students is one of the major contributing factors in the high number of female school dropouts countrywide.
“Most female students get demotivated when they realize they don’t perform well in their academics. The often give up on education and drop out, thinking education is not their field. We want to use this scheme to also tackle school dropouts by encouraging young girls to stay committed to their studies and learn for better results.”
The Headmaster for Nkwanta Senior High School, Paul Nyarko, expressed gratitude to Avance Media for the award scheme adding that it would propel academic performance in the school as well as improve on the standard of education in the Nkwanta South Municipality.
The Headmistress for Kyabobo Girls Senior High, Ms Venya Rebecca congratulated the award winners and advised them not to relent in their studies.
She hoped the success of the awardees would inspire other students to attain similar heights and be awarded as well.
The awardees expressed their profound gratitude to Avance Media and promised to improve on their academic performance.
By: Obrempongba K. Owusu/voltaonlinegh.com