Gold Fields Ghana Foundation commended for huge investments in education

Gold Fields Ghana Foundation has been commended for investing in the education of youth from the Tarkwa and Damang host communities of Western Region since its establishment 23 years ago.

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, says government resources alone cannot adequately support the access, quality and equity initiatives being pursued at the basic, secondary and tertiary education levels so his ministry appreciates the Foundation’s educational investment in the catchment communities.

$15m support

He says available records show that Gold Fields Ghana Foundation has invested over $15m in supporting tertiary education of 2,736 students in the host communities to pursue knowledge, develop relevant skills and carve a career path for their future without financial constraints and distractions.

According to him, this investment undoubtedly relieves government, parents and guardians of financial challenges in educating the youth and urged all corporate institutions operating in various sectors across the country to emulate the Foundation’s shining example.

“I reiterate my commendation of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation for its investment in education and recommend this model of sustained corporate social responsibility to all other corporate institutions operating in various sectors across the country”, he stressed

Scholarships

These sentiments were expressed in a keynote address read on behalf of the minister by his technical advisor, Prof. George K.T. Oduro, at the presentation of scholarships to 160 more brilliant but needy students from Gold Fields’ operational areas who have been admitted in the various tertiary institutions for the 2024/2025 academic year.

The ceremony took place at the University of Mines and Technology auditorium on Thursday and was witnessed by other government functionaries, traditional leaders renowned educationists, parents and guardians.

52% of the recipients are female with 48% being male. Some Persons with Disability were for the first time, also awarded scholarships by the Foundation.

About 30% of the recipients are enrolled in science-related programmes such as ICT, environmental sciences, pharmacy, medicine, nursing and midwifery while the remaining 20% are pursuing humanities and business-related programmes.

Interestingly, 64 out of the total number of 82 female beneficiaries are pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

Each of them was given GH 9,000 per semester, (an increment on GH 7, 500 received by the previous batch), to cater for their academic facility user fees, hostel fees and other approved learning materials. They will also be given GH 1,000 stipends every academic year.

A total amount of $144,000 was disbursed on the beneficiaries.

The education minister indicated that Gold Fields Ghana Foundation’s scholarship award scheme contributes immensely to the development of requisite human capital needed to revamp Ghana’s productive and service sectors of the economy.

Public-private partnership

He said the scheme was also a practical example of how the private sector could partner government to support the education of brilliant but needy students, adding that private sector investment in various educational resources, services and infrastructure does not only address issues of inequity which often disadvantage young people in less endowed communities but also helps to improve the quality of education and the development of human capital essential for economic growth and poverty reduction.

Nana Robert Siaw, Community Relations Manager of Gold Fields, reiterated that the Foundation is committed to developing the human capital and promoting sustainable livelihoods in the host communities.

He said the Foundation strongly believes that education and skill training are critical to the long-term sustainability of host communities and Ghana as a whole.

Nana Siaw disclosed that 498 out of the 2,736 beneficiaries are still in school but 2,238 have graduated and contributing their quota to national development.

He further disclosed that the Damang host communities were not covered in last year’s scholarship programme due to funding limitations but thanks to 100,000 dollars support from the World Gold Council, the award has been extended to them this year.

The Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr. Razak Abdul Yakubu, did not mince words in cautioning the recipients that any one of them who fails to live up to expectation will have his or her scholarship withdrawn.

Prof. Richard Amankwaah, the Vice-Chancellor of University of Mines and Technology, appealed to Gold Fields Ghana Foundation to come build a hostel facility at the University to help ease accommodation problems facing the students.

From Yaaba Yamikeh, Tarkwa