Sissala East MP launches BESS educational support
Hon. Mohammed Issah Bataglia,the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala East, has launched a GH300,000.00 educational fund named the Bataglia Educational Support Scheme (BESS).
It is a transformative initiative aimed at tackling low literacy levels and equipping young people with the skills needed to boost educational outcomes in the Sissala East.
Speaking at the official launch at Tumu, Hon. Bataglia said the scheme was not just about scholarships but about reshaping the future of the constituency. “We are here to establish a legacy. A legacy that says no child from Sissala East should be denied the opportunity to learn, to rise, and to lead,” he declared.
Hon. Bataglia gave a background about the state of education in the Municipality. According to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, only 54.14 percent of persons aged 11 and above in Sissala East are literate, compared to nearly 70 percent nationwide. The MP described this as a disturbing statistic that calls for urgent action. “Too many of our bright and hardworking sons and daughters are at risk of being left behind… too many are forced to abandon their dreams, remain unemployed, or pushed into unsafe migration,” he said.
The BESS program, he explained, is designed to support needy but brilliant students while also equipping the youth with practical, employable skills relevant to today’s economy. Beyond tuition, it will provide mentorship, career guidance, and psychosocial support, with a focus on critical areas such as health, sciences, law, engineering, information technology, artificial intelligence, and artisanal trades.
“Education without skills is incomplete. By doing so, we are preparing a generation that will not only find jobs but create them,” Hon. Bataglia emphasized.
He noted that Sissala East’s position as a border constituency makes the scheme even more vital. “When our young people are armed with knowledge and skills, they become defenders of peace, anchors of stability, and drivers of prosperity,”
To ensure credibility and sustainability, the MP announced that BESS will operate under a three-tier governance structure comprising a Governing Council, a Support and Selection Committee, and an Operational Secretariat. This structure, he said, will ensure fairness, accountability, and transparency.
The scheme will also draw funding from a diversified model including seed capital, corporate partnerships, development partners, diaspora contributions, fundraising dinners, and a long-term endowment fund. “This blend of funding sources ensures resilience. It makes the scheme independent of short-term politics and positions it as a community-owned investment in our children,” Hon. Bataglia stated.
Describing BESS as more than just an educational intervention, he called on the people of Sissala East to see it as a transformational agenda. “This scheme does not belong to me; it belongs to Sissala East. It is a covenant we are making with our youth,” he concluded.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Adamu Yakubu pledged to contribute Fifty thousand Ghana Cedis to the fund. Individuals and other philanthropist contributed at the launch raising the fund to Three hundred and Eighty Thousand Ghana cedis.
Mr Charles Lewil, Director of Education, Sissala East Municipal lauded the initiative as bold step and assured the Member of Parliament of their support, He called for attention towards the inadequate furniture affecting the basic schools.
Chiefs, party members, security heads and other stakeholders witnessed the launch from the area.
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Checks from the Member Parliament’s secretariat indicates that an online application process has so far received 252 applicants.
Source: Radford Newsdesk