Golden Star Bogoso Prestea has awarded scholarships to 22 brilliant but needy students who have gained admission into second cycle institutions.
The 14 females and 8 males were selected from five out of the six divisional areas and small communities the company operates in.
Speaking at the function the Community Affairs and Sustainable Development Manager, Mr. Robert Gyamfi, said a scheme was introduced in 2008 under which the company put one dollar per ounce of gold produced into a Community Education Scholarship Fund.
Mr. Gyamfi said since the inception of the scheme, 98,591.84 Ghana cedis had been spent on 65 students who are still benefiting from the scheme.
He said any beneficiary of the scheme who would not perform well in school would have the scholarship withdrawn.
The acting General Manager of the company, Mr. Shadrack Sowoah, said in addition to the scheme, the company is training 72 people in cookery, carpentry, and masonry under their Skills Training and Employment Programme.
The Human Resource Manager of Prestea Huni/Valley Directorate of Education, Mr. Vincent Kofffie-Adjei Abutiate, said though pupils in the district perform well at the Basic Education Certificate Examination, most of them cannot continue their studies to the Senior High Schools due to financial constrains.
He said the scholarship scheme would not only serve as a relief to parents but also to the Education Directorate.
One of the beneficiaries, Miss Linda Abeka, thanked the company for the support.