20 students to be honoured tomorrow

Twenty outstanding students will be honoured tomorrow by President John Agyekum Kufuor at the President's Independence Day Award for their academic excellence at the basic education level in 2004.

Two students from each of the 10 regions of the country will be honoured as part of the country's 48th independence anniversary. The award winners, who have already assembled in Accra, will receive the awards at an elaborate ceremony scheduled to take place at the Forecourt of Parliament House in Accra.

The award scheme, which has been running for the past years, was instituted by the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service, to honour basic school graduands who excelled in their examination.

Apart from their academic excellence, the award winners are also chosen on the basis of their participation in co-curricular activities such as sports, community service and leadership roles. Exemplary conduct and good moral behaviour and other special qualities of excellence are the other criteria for selecting award winners.

The 20 recipients, who are now first year students in senior secondary schools across the country, are expected to each receive a three-year scholarship covering the cost of boarding and lodging. Besides, the students will also receive cash prizes and books from the President. The 20 students are made up of 10 boys and 10 girls.