EduWatch condemns GNPC full scholarship to WASSCE graduates
African Education Watch has called on the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to introduce a merit-based full scholarship system to support more brilliant but needy WASSCE graduates further their education at the tertiary level.
The Director of EduWatch, Mr Kofi Asare in a post sighted by AcademicWeek said no serious nation distributes scholarship opportunities based on charity or patronage. What Ghana needs is a merit-based scholarship system.”
The education think tank’s concerns come after the Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) announced it has offered a full educational scholarship to Benjamin Darko, a 2021 WASSCE graduate whose WASSCE results went viral after working as a fuel attendant.
In a social media post sighted by AcademicWeek, GNPC said the scholarship will enable Darko to pursue his passion for Chemical Engineering at the prestigious Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST).
The Executive Director of the National Petroleum Corporation Foundation, Dr Dominic Eduah said his outfit in collaboration with its educational partners is committed to providing support and restoring Darko’s hopes.
“Collaborating with educational partners, the GNPC Foundation has taken steps to facilitate Master Darko’s successful admission into the next enrollment window at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology,” Dr Eduah said.
Despite scoring 5A’s and 3Bs, the 21-year-old former Science student at Presbyterian Senior Secondary School (PRESEC) – Legon has had his desire to pursue a Medical-Science related course at the University hindered amid a lack of financial support.
In keeping himself busy and to give his dreams a chance, the boy from Bepowase, a farming community in Akuapim North Municipality of the Eastern Region, has since 2021 taken to several menial jobs in a rather daunting bid to save for his education.
Currently working as a fuel attendant at a GOIL station in Kumasi, Darko’s predicament gained national attention after his story was highlighted in a GHOne news report that went viral on social media.
GNPC recently also offered a full scholarship to 2021 WASSCE graduate, Stephen Koomson, a former student of Mpohor Senior High School who resorted to illegal mining amid a lack of financial support to further his education.
In a social media post sighted by AcademicWeek, the Petroleum Corporation said the 21-year-old has been granted a full educational scholarship to study Law at the University of Ghana in a bid to pursue his dream to become a lawyer.
“The brilliant 21-year-old former student of Mpohor Senior High School in the Western Region who, for financial constraints, resorted to illegal mining (Galamsey) instead of furthering his education, has been granted a full educational scholarship by GNPC to study Law at the University of Ghana,” the Corporation said in the post.
