Berekuso, Ghana, November 19, 2016 – Through a 50,000ghs donation to the Berekuso Educational Fund, Ashesi University College deepened its commitment to help improve educational standards in Berekuso. The donation was made at the launch of the fund, led by the Chief of Berekuso, Odeefoo Oteng Korankye, at Ashesi’s Norton-Motulsky Hall.
“This is the seed of what will be a project that will run for many years,” said Dr. Patrick Awuah at the launch. “We should not see this as just a one-day event today; this is something that is going to go on for decades. I also want to thank the chiefs for the warm embrace from the people of Berekuso to help establish Ashesi within their community, and I want to assure you that you have our full support not only today, but also in the future.“
Through the educational fund, the chiefs and elders of the town commit to providing scholarships, building a vocational school, a library, a senior high school and expanding resources available to teachers.
“The standard of education in Berekuso has fallen over the years and most of our children are unable to progress academically beyond the basic level,” said Odeefo Oteng Korankye II at the launch. “However, now that we have welcomed Ashesi to our community, we need to ensure that our children are well equipped to qualify for admission to Ashesi and also other universities within the country. Also it is important that we invest in the lives of the children to not only ensure that they make it to the highest level, but then also to keep the children away from social vices.“
Commitment to Berekuso
Since moving to Berekuso five years ago, members of the Ashesi community continue to engage with the town in numerous ways. Through initiatives such as the Berekuso Math Project and Berekuso Music Project, students at Ashesi work with pupils in Berekuso to help enrich their academic experience.
“Ashesi has a strong belief in citizenship, and one of the most rewarding aspects of what I do at Ashesi is working with the community to try to impact education in Berekuso,” said Rebecca Awuah, Head of Humanities and Social Sciences Department. “We try to understand where the strengths and weaknesses so we can make a difference, particularly in literacy and mathematics. I believe that this fund is not only a great opportunity to address some of the problems we see around us, but also it is an opportunity to look to the future and help this community to be a model for rural communities in Ghana.”