The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has declared the end of its venerable scholarship program, citing the government’s Free Senior High School (SHS) plan as the reason for the move.
COCOBOD has replaced the scholarship program with the Cocoa Board Education Trust, which intends to give underprivileged areas that grow cocoa access to basic school supplies.
The board chairman, Mr. Peter Mac Manu, gave an explanation of the reasoning for this change.
“With the advent of the free SHS by the Akufo-Addo administration, it’s time for us to adapt and evolve. The COCOBOD Scholarship Scheme, while a notable and valuable programme, has naturally lost its core purpose,” he explained.
For many years, students from areas that grow cocoa have enjoyed substantial financial support from the COCOBOD Scholarship Scheme.
But once the Free SHS program was announced, the board made the decision to focus its funding on building model elementary schools in cocoa-growing regions.
The board’s dedication to the welfare of cocoa growers and their offspring is demonstrated by the recently established Cocoa Board Education Trust.
“As we bid farewell to the Scholarship Scheme, we must look forward and prioritise the continued educational advancement of the cocoa farming community. It’s with this vision that the board of directors has decided to establish the Ghana Cocoa Board Education Trust.”
“This trust is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the prosperity and well-being of cocoa farmers and their children. The primary objective of the Education Trust is clearly to focus on providing essential primary school infrastructure in underserved cocoa growing areas”, he said.
