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The World Food Programme (WFP) in collaboration with Ghana Education Service (GES) at the weekend, awarded scholarships to 14 girls who excelled in last year�s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Northern Region. The package meant to get disadvantaged girls to school to increase enrolment, school attendance and reduce disparity between boys and girls, was presented to the beneficiaries at a programme organised by the WFP in Tamale. The WFP is embarking on reducing short term hunger and malnutrition among pupils. Dr Abebe Hankore, Head of WFP Sub-office in Tamale said the event marked the 12th year, since the inception of the scheme. He indicated that the scholarship would assist the students to complete senior high school without dropping out because of inability to pay school bills. He said 339 girls had so far received financial assistance since the inception of the GES/WFP scholarship programme. Dr Hankore said: �There is need to pay equal attention to improve the quality of education so that students would be well-equipped to be able to hold their focus on their education.� He advised the next batch of candidates to study hard to achieve single digit grades in their BECE examinations so as to receive similar assistance. Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru, Regional Minister in a speech read on his behalf said about 65 per cent of women in the region have no form of formal education. He called on other development partners and NGOs to give the necessary assistance to GES/WFP to ensure an increase in the girl- child scholarship programme. He advised girls to learn hard and forge ahead in the quest for knowledge and self-improvement. Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru expressed appreciation to the organisers for the scholarship awards and the teachers who prepared the students for the examination. Mr Paul A. Apanga, Regional Director of Education said the scholarship and the awards schemes are helping to increase the performance level of students. He stated that GES in collaboration with stakeholders in education are working hard to change the poor BECE poor results in the region to an appreciable level. Each of the 14 scholarship recipients received a cheque for GH� 800.00, a certificate, a bundle of books and a special hamper.