Why COCOBOD is replacing its Scholarship scheme

The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced the establishment of an Education Trust aimed at reallocating funds from its Scholarship Scheme to construct new model primary schools in underserved cocoa-growing regions, enhancing access to quality basic education.

This move follows the termination of its long-standing scholarship program due to the government's implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) initiative.

In place of the scholarship scheme, COCOBOD has created the Cocoa Board Education Trust to address the need for primary school infrastructure in underserved cocoa-growing communities.

The Board Chairman of COCOBOD, Peter Mac Manu explained that the Free SHS initiative necessitated this change. “With the advent of the free SHS by the Akufo-Addo administration, it’s time for us to adapt and evolve. The COCOBOD Scholarship Scheme, while a notable and valuable programme, has naturally lost its core purpose,” he stated.

The COCOBOD Scholarship Scheme, which had provided financial support to students from cocoa-farming communities for many years, is now being replaced. Resources will be redirected towards building essential primary school infrastructure in underserved areas.

The newly inaugurated Cocoa Board Education Trust aims to establish model basic schools in these communities. According to Peter Mac Manu, this initiative underscores the board’s commitment to the prosperity and well-being of cocoa farmers and their children.

“As we bid farewell to the Scholarship Scheme, we must look forward and prioritise the continued educational advancement of the cocoa farming community. It’s with this vision that the board of directors has decided to establish the Ghana Cocoa Board Education Trust. This trust is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the prosperity and well-being of cocoa farmers and their children. The primary objective of the Education Trust is clearly to focus on providing essential primary school infrastructure in underserved cocoa-growing areas,” he affirmed.