…awards 150 tertiary students under its STEM scholarship scheme

The lead operator of Jubilee and Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntome (TEN) fields, Tullow Ghana, as part of its educational support, has awarded 150 tertiary students under its Tertiary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Scholarship Scheme.

The Tullow scholarship scheme, valued at about US$1million, supported brilliant but needy students at various universities in the areas of STEM.

The students, who were from the University of Ghana, Ashesi University, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), have been awarded a full scholarship which “covers tuition, stipend, subsistence and health insurance, modest subsidy for equipment like laptop computer and accommodation for students pursuing four years undergraduate programmes; also, one-year Master’s programmes, but in exceptional circumstances may also include two years MPhil programmes.”

Speaking to the B&FT, Social Performance Manager at Tullow Ghana, Edmund Fiifi Enchil, noted that the initiative is in line with their mandate of creating shared prosperity and supporting national development through creativity and innovation.

“The scholarship is part of our STEM initiative which runs from kindergarten all the way to tertiary. The idea was to support national development through creativity and innovation, and we felt STEM will play quite an important role.

“Nations that had developed around the world did that at the back of science education, so we felt that especially in line with our mandate of creating shared prosperity, and that the resources of a country must benefit the citizenry, we thought it wise that a scholarship scheme will support the student and national development as a whole,” he said at the interaction and speed-mentoring sessions organised for the beneficiaries from UG in Accra.

The interaction and speed-mentoring sessions championed by facilitators from various operations and human resource department of Tullow Ghana gave the students the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the scheme.

Investment in STEM laudable

For his part, Director at the Office of Research, Innovation and Development (ORID), University of Ghana, Professor Joseph Teye Kofi, noted that  investment in STEM education is one of the laudable initiatives that cooperate Ghana can undertake, especially when it has to do with providing scholarships to brilliant and needy students.

He applauded Tullow Ghana for the initiative, and called on other cooperate bodies to support brilliant students, saying education is the single most important investment a nation can provide to its future leaders.

“This gesture should be well-emulated to support other qualified candidates who, because of limited funds, were not awarded,” he said.

“Management of the University of Ghana has set for itself the task of expanding and modernising the classroom infrastructure via the fullest integration of technology to allow UG to pursue its agenda of delivering excellence in teaching and learning while making its degrees and other academic qualifications accessible to all willing and qualified candidates within and without the borders of Ghana,” he added, pledging their commitment to better prepare the student body for the job market.

Provost, University of Ghana College of Health Sciences, Prof. Julius Fobil, also expressed gratitude to Tullow Ghana for the contribution they have made in the lives of the students.

Beneficiaries

Some beneficiaries who spoke to the B&FT recounted how it was difficult for them to pay fees, saying but for the scheme, they would have dropped out.

“This scholarship came through for me when my parents could not pay my fees. The scheme has made me focused because I will not have to worry about how to pay fees, and I even get stipends,” Shalom Senaga, a beneficiary from UG said.

Another beneficiary, Ebenezer Kwesi Sani, said: “Tullow secured my education. I feel grateful to them. Prior to this, my parent were not in a good standing to support my education”.

Tullow Tertiary STEM

The Tullow Tertiary STEM Scholarship Scheme (TTSS) has, since inception, become a key component of the investment strategy with the aim of building capacity through education and skills development.

It also added speed-mentoring sessions which enable a team from Tullow Ghana to understand what the mentees are looking for to help them shape their goals and also provide feedback and suggestions for progress.

In order to improve the human resource of the nation for growth, it seeks to ensure that beneficiaries are nurtured to be ready for the job market.

SOURCE: BFT