PHOTO: Scholarship beneficiaries
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Prison Fellowship Liberia with funding Keyara’s Gift Incorporated has awarded scholarships to over 150 students in Montserrado, Grand Bassa and Bong Counties.
The Country Director of the fellowship, Rev. Francis Kollie, disclosed that the scholarship will cover insurance, medication and the provision of books and housing for some of the parents of the beneficiaries in the amount of nearly US$85,000.00 for this academic year
Speaking during the presentation ceremony, Rev. Kollie called on the Liberian government to standardize the payment of tuitions in public and private schools in the country.
He expressed regret that thousands of children will not be able to attend this year because of the increment in the tuitions in government and privates schools and as a result parents cannot be afford to pay such fees in the wake of the prevailing economic situation.
The reverend also went an extra miles when he offered scholarship to a student who was heard complaining on the local Okay FM radio station in Monrovia that she ricks being dropped out of school, because of the death of her parents
Rev. Francis Kollie, Prison Fellowship boss
“We do not want some individuals to demand sex from these females as a pre-condition of assisting them to attend schools,” he said; adding : “but by the grace of God , we will be paying the tuition of this girl until she achieve her academic endeavor up to high school level as long as God continues to assist us.”
The Prison Fellowship Liberia Country Director warned students against peer pressure by avoiding drugs and pre mature sex because they risk been dropped from the Keyara’s Gift scholarship program.
According to Reverend Kollie, the scholarships could not cover more students because of the increase in tuition of school fees in private and public schools.
He expressed disappointment on the part of proprietors of private schools because of their deliberate intension to increase the tuition of school fees in the wake of the economic difficulty prevailing in the country.
Rev. Kollie also appealed to the beneficiaries to take advantage of the scholarships and thanked God for Keyara’s Gift Incorporated for sponsoring the program for more than eight years now.
The Prison Fellowship Liberia Country Director also encouraged them to be studious and cautioned the students to take good care of the book bags and books given them so as it will last for the academic year.