Three Kufuor Scholars have been offered scholarships to pursue graduate education at MountCrest University College.

The three are getting free tuition waivers to pursue a three-year graduate degree in Law at the institution.

It is estimated the scholarship is worth about $10,000 per student, and more scholars are due to be enrolled subsequently.

“Personally, this scholarship is a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to acquire a degree in Law. And so clearly what the John A. Kufuor Foundation and MCU have given me is an opportunity that will go a long way to helping me achieve my career goals and dreams,” Roxanne Mawunyo Akorley, one of the beneficiaries, said in a statement from the John A. Kufuor Foundation.

“The journey to becoming a lawyer is indeed not for the faint-hearted because you need the courage and confidence… Always backing whatever you say with authority is a mark of a good lawyer. That’s some very unforgettable knowledge I have received from MCU. Like John C. Maxwell rightly put it, leadership is not about titles, positions, or flow charts. It is about one life influencing another. And I’m learning that practically here,” she added.

In October 2020, the John A. Kufuor Foundation and the MountCrest University College signed a memorandum of understanding to offer scholarships to Kufuor Scholar alumni to pursue postgraduate studies at the renowned institution.

MountCrest announced it will award Kufour Scholar alumni opportunities to pursue courses in law, management health services, public health, among others. Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, the founder of the John A. Kufuor Foundation, signed the MOU on behalf of the Foundation.

Founder of MountCrest University College, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, signed on behalf of the academic institution. The current beneficiaries are getting tuition waivers to pursue graduate Law degrees. The scholarship is worth about $10,000 per student.

“The two institutions have common goals when it comes to the type of training that we give giving to those who go through our programs… What brought us together was that the John A. Kufuor Foundation has a strong focus on leadership and governance. And we also weave leadership and governance values into the programmes that we have because we strongly emphasise social responsibility.

"And because of the common purpose, it was a natural blend between the two institutions,” Rector of Mountcrest University College Irene Ansa-Asare Horsham explained. “It was to marry education with mentorship,” she added.

Other beneficiaries of the scholarship programme have also been sharing their experiences.

“The opportunity to study law will equip me with the ability to deal with challenging issues, understand human logic and analyze real-life cases along with logical clarity and a good grip over oral and written communication. In addition, the success in this field will have a lot to do with my personality as I envision to serve my country in any sphere of leadership,” Peter Darkwah, a member of the Kufuor Scholars Program class of 2020, said.

“MountCrest can be said to be one of the most conducive environments for studies. They have very great teachers, always ready to assist, and they are very interactive. Going to MountCrest has also expanded my networks as I have been able to meet lots of respected people in our country,” he added.

Victoria Antwi, another beneficiary, said, “in a million ways, this scholarship will help me fulfil a long-awaited dream. Knowing what the law is and becoming a legal practitioner has been my dream right from JHS. And the first step in achieving this dream is what this scholarship has given me.”

“Studying at MCU has been good so far; the networks, the controversies and the exciting moments. Academics has been stressful as expected, but it is not something a Kufuor Scholar cannot overcome. Generally, it has been good,” she added.

Madam Ansa-Asare Horsham praised the scholars for living up to expectations.

“We are very proud of the alumni of the Kufuor Scholars Program. They haven’t disappointed us since they came into our scholarship program,” she said.

“They are all up-and-coming young people. They have all shown signs of leadership in public office. Which is one of the areas we are very interested in… We need selfless service in society… They are showing signs that they can be leaders in the public service…” she added.

Chief Executive Officer of the John A. Kufuor Foundation, Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah, is hopeful the “marriage” between the two institutions will go a long one to enable most scholars to further their studies and build the top-notch skills in leadership that Africa is crying for.

“To achieve inclusive economic growth, Africa must continue to build its human capital and ensure the youth are healthy, focused, developmentally on track, and acquiring skills to thrive in a fast-changing and complex world,” he said.

The Kufuor Scholars Program is an initiative of the John A. Kufuor Foundation, which offers mentoring and coaching opportunities for tertiary students over a three year period.

The program has the overarching objective of mentoring a critical mass of future change agents; leaders imbued with a strong sense of patriotism; innovative leaders, problem solvers, creative thinkers and knowledgeable professionals in their respective fields of endeavour.