Bawumia promises COCOBOD-Funded Tertiary Education for Cocoa farmers' Children

Amansie Central, Ghana - Nov 8, 2024 - Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has announced a groundbreaking initiative to support children of cocoa farmers in Ghana.

According to him, starting next year, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) will fund tertiary education for these students, replacing the existing Senior High School cocoa scholarship scheme.

Speaking at the Farmers' Day celebration in Jacobu, Amansie Central District, Dr. Bawumia emphasized that this policy aims to empower cocoa farmers by providing their children with access to higher education without financial burdens.

“Initially, COCOBOD provided scholarships for the children of cocoa farmers to attend Senior High Schools. However, with the introduction of the free Senior High School (SHS) policy, every child can now attend SHS at no cost,'' he stated.

“As a result, the government plans to reallocate the funds that were previously used to cover the fees for cocoa farmers’ children. Starting next year, COCOBOD will take over the responsibility of paying the fees for cocoa farmers,” he added..

The Free Senior High School (SHS) policy has made secondary education accessible, rendering the previous scholarship scheme redundant.

The COCOBOD Child Education Support program has already made significant contributions to education, including:

- Construction of Schools: Building 26 secondary schools and nine basic schools in cocoa-growing communities.
- Cocoa Farmers Scholarship Scheme: Supporting 7,500 students annually .
- Agriculture Clubs: Encouraging interest in cocoa industry through tertiary institution clubs.

Source: Lead News Online