The Chinese government has offered scholarships to 65 Ghanaian students for further education in various fields in Chinese institutions of higher learning in the 2017/2018 academic year, Ambassador Sun Baohong disclosed here late Tuesday.

Speaking at a farewell dinner attended by 40 of the beneficiaries, Sun expressed delight in the growing number of Ghanaian students who had been studying in Chinese institutions.

"China has been receiving Ghanaian students since 1960. Up to now, a total of 1,006 Ghanaian students have received Chinese government scholarships. Currently, 5,516 Ghanaian students are studying in China and this number has ranked top among African students in China for three consecutive years," the ambassador said.

"The Chinese government has been continuously providing human resource training programs to the Ghanaian government. Last year, 1,200 Ghanaians received training in China and this number ranked top of all foreigners who received training programs in China," she said.

Ambassador Sun urged the beneficiary students to become worthy ambassadors of the China-Ghana friendship in the new era.

Accompanying the First lady were the Minister for Education, Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Derry, Minister for Tourism, Catherine Afeku, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Charles Owiredu as well as the Registrar of the Scholarship Secretariat, Kingsley Agyemang.

First Lady of Ghana Rebecca Akufo-Addo expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for the opportunities offered to young Ghanaians annually.

"I am so excited that the Chinese government has graciously offered our young people this opportunity to learn and to be in a better position to contribute to the development of our dear country.

"To my dear scholarship awardees, you have the obligation to seize this opportunity and make the utmost best out of it. You have the obligation to soak up every bit of knowledge and orientation that you would be given in China

"Do not limit yourselves to the classroom. Study the Chinese society, their culture and their history. Trust me, you would find positive things to learn that would shape your future," the First Lady urged.

Edem Ayivi Mawugbe, who had his Masters degree from the China University of Geo-Sciences from Wuhan, was among the beneficiaries.

"The education system was very good and there were a lot of things I learnt. I had my Ph.D at the China University of Petroleum in Qingdao, so I am going to Qingdao to study Petroleum Engineering for my Ph. D. I have come to appreciate Chinese culture, the language, and the people.

"I have learned a lot of things from them and it changed the way I think about foreigners, especially the Chinese. They are very warm people and they made me feel at home," Mawugbe said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2017)