The Tertiary Education Scholarship Trust.
TEST for AFRICA is a UK Charitable Trust registered in 2008 by the UK Charity Commission (number 1124600). TEST aims to fund the further education of African students.
Trust Objectives
TEST for AFRICA was formed by a group of graduates from Linacre College, Oxford University together with Jennie Travers, who’s late husband John pioneered the formation of the charity Schools Around The World at his company, Cushman & Wakefield.
Its aim is to aid the social and economic development of Africa by enabling bright but needy students to receive undergraduate education at local public Universities and Polytechnics against their personal pledge to work for the benefit of their communities and their nation upon graduation.
The fundamental philosophy behind the formation of TEST for AFRICA is the belief that one of the causes of poverty in developing countries is a lack of education. By enabling bright, yet financially challenged Africans the opportunity to undertake local tertiary education through a programme of means tested scholarships in exchange for a personal bond requiring them to remain in their country of origin, graduates are expected to make significant contributions to the social and economic development within their communities and their country.
Having commenced in Ghana, TEST for AFRICA is continuing to establish a network of local charities in those African countries which have a record of democracy and stability. Our charities in Africa are organised and managed by local residents, the majority of whom have received postgraduate education at the University of Oxford (Linacre College).
TEST for AFRICA provides both full and partial scholarships for undergraduate study in a wide spectrum of academic and practical subjects which in the opinion of the local Trustees are best oriented towards the social and economic development needs of their countries and their communities. Awards are biased towards females (60:40) from the poorest regions of the countries, for University education (60:40) where appropriate, and are also available to handicapped students. Scholarships are offered to both new and to continuing students, and are reviewed annually against both need and academic performance. Those scholars graduating with First Class Honours degrees are invited to apply for the Norman & Ivy Lloyd Scholarship at Linacre College, Oxford University which provides full funding for one year’s Master’s degree studies in a subject of their choice. All Trustees of both TEST for AFRICA and their network of local charities, as well as local Universities and Polytechnics provide their services pro-bono, and consequently TEST for AFRICA Trustees guarantee that 100% of all donations received are disbursed for the education of the scholars. Moreover, each member of the TEST family is required to be transparent and publishes Annual Reports which are available on their web-sites. TEST for GHANA is currently organising both a job counselling programme and the formation of an alumni association, which members of the TEST African family will eventually follow as part of their evolution.
Since inception in 2008, TEST for AFRICA has made in excess of 500 scholarships awards in both Ghana and Malawi, and is currently aiming to begin operations in Uganda in 2012.
The ultimate aim of TEST for AFRICA is to provide support to enable the local TEST charities to become self-sustainable.
NEWS
January 2012
TEST for AFRICA and TEST for GHANA are pleased to announce the launch of the Kelly Fisher Scholarship in Engineering/Science to be preferentially awarded to a student from the Upper West Region of Ghana. This award is facilitated thanks to the generosity of Kelly Fisher from London, who during her VSO service taught at Kanton Secondary School, Tumu in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
December 2011
TEST for AFRICA and TEST for MALAWI are proud to announce that The Common Room of Linacre College, University of Oxford have elected to fund a four year Scholarship in Environmental Studies at Bunda College, University of Malawi. Jennie Travers, TEST for AFRICA Chairman added " that this magnificent act of generosity by the student body of the alma mater of many of our Trustees cements the relationship between Linacre and the TEST family. We will encourage a direct dialogue between the Recipient and the Linacre Common Room."
November 2011
We are proud to announce that the family of Robert Kafakoma, our Chairman of TEST for MALAWI, has generously committed funding for a Scholarship to be known as the Robert Kafakoma Scholarship in Agricultural Studies, which will be awarded to a very bright but needy student for undergraduate studies at his alma mater, Bunda College of Agriculture within the University of Malawi. This is the first Scholarship within the TEST structure in Africa to be locally funded.
October 2011
TEST for AFRICA has elected to provide funding to TEST for MALAWI to facilitate the award of 108 Scholarships to students at each of Malawi's public Universities. 38 of these Scholarship awards will made to Scholars at the University of Malawi's Medical College and Kamuzu College of Nursing.
October 2011
TEST for AFRICA is expanding into Uganda with the formation and registration of TEST for UGANDA. Dr Fred Babweteera has kindly agreed to become the Chairman of TEST for UGANDA and we welcome Mr Ronnie Twesigye and Professor Lillian Ekirikubinza, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Makerere University to the Board of Trustees. It is intended that TEST for UGANDA will be offering 15 to 20 Scholarships to both new and continuing, bright but needy Ugandans for 2012 -2013 academic intake at Uganda's public Universities.
September 2011
TEST for AFRICA is delighted to welcome Mr Dennis Awuah as its Norman & Ivy Lloyd Scholar at Linacre College Oxford. Dennis is Ghanaian and has a First Class Honours degree in Biological Sciences from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He will be studying for a Masters degree in Integrated Immunology at Oxford University.
August 2011
TEST for AFRICA announces that it's Ghanaian associate, TEST for GHANA has made 162 Scholarship awards for the 2011 - 2012 academic year at all of the Ghanaian public Universities and Polytechnics. This total includes 98 renewals and 64 new awards, with 64% of the awards being made to the three poorest regions of Northern Ghana, and almost 50% to females.
August 2011
The TEST for Africa Websites have been re-designed and re-launched. The new sites are designed to be more user-friendly and enhance user-friendliness.
May 2011
The TEST for Africa Annual Report, published in May 2011, is available here. The TEST for Ghana Annual Report, published in April 2011, is available here.
June 2010
The first TEST for Africa Annual Report, published in April 2010, is available here.
May 2010
The first TEST for Ghana Annual Report, published in April 2010, is available here.
