President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday called on Ghanaians to live up to their responsibilities in order to enjoy inherent rights in the country.
He said: “Much as we have the right to demand for our rights in the country, we also have the responsibility to play our roles appropriately.”
President Mahama said this during the 21st annual President’s Independence Day students Awards at the State Banquet Hall, Accra.
The Awards, which were initiated in 1993 to award scholarship to 10 students from all the 10 administrative capitals who distinguished themselves in Basic Education Certificate Examinations, were increased to 20 in 2001 to cater for one girl and one boy from each region.
The objectives of the awards are to encourage students in their academic work, promote participation in co-curricular activities and to reward conduct and good moral behavior.
Awardees go through series of interviews before they are selected for the national award on March 5, to precede Ghana’s Independence Day on March 6, every year.
President Mahama said government was spending one-third of her resources on education and called on all stakeholders to play their roles responsibly to raise the standards of education throughout the country.
He appealed to Ghanaians to be patriotic and selfless in the day- to- day activities to whip up the enthusiasm of the coming generations to take up their traditional responsibilities.
President Mahama promised to invest hugely in education and called on teachers and parents to carry out their roles and responsibilities to brighten the future of their children.
“I also promise to implement the entire request that the children made in their poetry recitals at this programme,” President Mahama added.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, the Minister of Education, said each of the awardees would receive GHC600.00, a Tablet ande two out of the 20 would be sponsored to have an educational trip to the United States.
She said each student would also receive a comprehensive scholarship for the entire duration of senior high school education and have Nestle products throughout their stay in senior high school.