Alhassan Andani (first from left), Israel Titi Ofei and Dr. William Mould during the launch. INSET: Two scholarship beneficiaries of the trust – Justin Banyia Bukari and Zakariya Awudu
The Managing Director of Stanbic Bank, Mr. Alhassan Andani, could not have explained better the game-changing feat of investment in education than he did when he spearheaded a scholarship trust launch for Tamale’s Savannah International Academy (SIA) in Accra last Saturday.
The private international school which runs a special curriculum started operation in 2018, and is modelled to make children solve solutions.
Mr. Andani’s story about how education has transformed him into a global citizen had his audience glued to their seats until he signed off his assignment as the fundraiser, with an offer of 10 full scholarships for the project.
He lost his father at a tender age, and the responsibilities of his upbringing were bestowed upon his mother who worked tirelessly to give him education, a tool which has made him who he is today, he told his audience.
Given the game-changing prowess of education and the laudable focus of the SIA, he promised to lead the charge on raising funds to provide money for the scholarship scheme of the school so that needy but brilliant kids can access quality education.
He charged Ghanaians to imbibe the ‘do-good’ spirit without looking back so that others would benefit from their successes in life. “Look forward when you are doing good and do not look back,” he stressed.
He dwelt on an imaginary Yakubu who, during a rendition by a poet at the occasion, rose above the challenges of poverty through education.
“Today, I am the managing director of one of the most successful banks in the country, an international bank and therefore a global citizen – something made possible through education. I am Yakubu. When my father, a chief, died, my mother took care of me while she lived in Takoradi . . .” he remarked.
He said investing in education is a long-term investment unsurpassed in terms of dividends to the individual and society.
He promised to chase other well-to-do persons in the north especially his colleague chiefs to contribute towards the trust so that many children would access education being presented by SIA.
“I will reach out to the chiefs and others to support the scholarship project of SIA modelled along the SOS, GIS and Lincoln International School module,” he told his audience.
Mr. Alhassan Andani, who is the Pishigu Lana or chief of Pishigu in Dagbon, was full of humour when he converted the scholarships to bags of maize and had his audience laughing heartily. He paid tribute to Dr. William Mould and his spouse Mrs. Sardia Mould for the concept.
The SIA Trust is dedicated to raising and managing funds to provide scholarships for bright but needy students from the country. It is a response to the spatial inequality in the provision of and access to good quality education in the three northern regions of the country.
Students of the school are taught to solve problems and it is evidenced by a female student of SIA who emerged the Northern Region chess champion recently.
The trust was launched by Mr. Israel Titi Ofei, Principal of SOS Herman Gmeinner College. Fati Bodua Seidu is the chairperson of the trust and Alhassan Andani is chairman of the board of the school.
By A.R. Gomda