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Our Bylaws

HomeOur Bylaws
DECEMBER, 2009
1. Background

High academic standards in educational institutions in the Anlo Traditional Area of the Volta Region of Ghana used to be the envy of the rest of the country. However, over the last decade academic standards have fallen sharply especially in the basic and second cycle educational institutions. Increasing poverty levels of parents coupled with declining livelihoods in the Traditional Area have made most parents unable to fund their children’s education beyond Basic Education level.

Fees paid in the Second and Tertiary Institutions have more than doubled over the past decade. The increased financial burden on parents and students have resulted in decreased Gross Enrollment Rates (GER) and decreased retention of students at higher levels of education.

Teaching and learning aids, textbooks as well as other teaching facilities and equipment are largely insufficient in most schools in the Traditional Area. Educational infrastructure has also deteriorated in most basic and senior high schools as well as lack of residential accommodation and poor teacher incentives are factors that have resulted in low attrition of high calibre teachers to educational institutions in the Traditional Area. The situation has resulted in increased desperation of parents and students to secure financial assistance from Members of Parliament as well as the Municipal Assemblies within the Anlo Traditional Area.

Most worrying is the fact that brilliant students with poor parents are losing the opportunities for higher education after basic education.

2. Name of Fund

The name of the fund shall be ANLO EDUCATION TRUST FUND herein called the fund.

3. Objectives of the Trust Fund

In order to provide equal opportunity to financially challenged children of Anlo to avail themselves of higher education, the Anlo Education Trust Fund is hereby instituted with the following objectives:

  1. To provide the financial means of assisting the needy students to pursue higher education after basic education.
  2. To ensure the girls as well as the boys have equal opportunity to pursue higher education after basic education irrespective of gender.
  3. To arrest the steady decline in academic standards in the area and to restore the Anlo Traditional Area to its former glory.
  4. To ensure that the benefits of a literate and highly educated population accrues to the Anlo Traditional Area, Ghana, and the world at large.
  5. To provide and improve education infrastructural facilities in schools.
4. Establishment of the Board of Trustees

There shall be established, a Board of Trustees for the Anlo Educational Trust Fund which shall manage the Fund. The Board will elect its own Chairman and Vice as well as a Secretary.

5. Composition of the Board
  1. The Board shall consist of:
    1. Representative of Anlo Tractional Council
    2. The Municipal Director of Education
    3. Chairperson of the Social Service sub Committee of Keta Municipal Assembly
    4. Members of Parliament of the Keta Municipality
    5. Representative of Anlo Youth Council
    6. Two members from Tertiary Education Institutions
    7. One Member from Senior High School/Technical Education Institutions
    8. Five other Eminent Technical Persons who hail from the Anlo Traditional Area three of which should be women.
  2. Members of the Board shall be appointed by the Municipal Chief Executive on behalf of the Municipal Assembly.
  3. Members of the Board shall be duly sworn into office under oath and shall furnish   the Board with Curriculum Vitae upon assumption of office.
6. Functions and Responsibilities of Trustees
  1. The Board of Trustees shall be responsible for the overall policy direction as well as the operation of the Fund including fundraising and to ensure that the managerial activities are within the broad vision and philosophy of the Anlo Education Trust Fund (AETF). The Board of Trustees shall have the authority to establish all policies relating to effective and efficient administration of the Fund. These shall include but not limited to:
    1. Set criteria for eligibility of beneficiaries
    2. Establish application procedures and nomination of beneficiaries from educational institutions, parents, and individuals to the Board of Trustees.
    3. Setting standards to be complied with in the application and vetting process to determine the approval process and the communication of the results.
    4. Determine disbursement procedures, eligible expenditure items, and levels to be funded.
    5. Consider and approve shortlisted applications received from educational institutions, parents, and individuals through the Fund Secretariat.
    6. Identify and approve different sources of funds for the Trust Fund
    7. Approve the annual work plan program and budget for the Fund Secretariat.
    8. Review operations of the Fund regularly and ensure that they are being performed efficiently and within a defined framework.
    9. Initiate action to source funds from other sources and stakeholders (cash and non-cash donations) which may be invested according to the laws and regulations of the Republic of Ghana.
    10. Publish annually a report stating the sources and application of funds.
    11. Monitor and evaluate academic progress of fund recipients.
    12. Engage in other activities that are conducive to the smooth operation of the Fund and which are within the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees.
    13. Designate a Domiciliary Bank to hold and effect transactions of the Fund.
    14. Determine signatories to the Bank accounts of the Fund
    15. Appoint Auditors of the Fund and ensure annual audit of accounts
7. Disclosure of Interest

A member of the Board who has an interest in a matter for consideration by the Board shall disclose in writing the nature of that interest and shall not participate in the deliberation of the Board with regards to that matter.

8. Meetings of the Board
  1. The Board shall meet at least once every three (3) months for the dispatch of business at the times and places determined by the chairperson
  2. The quorum at the meeting of the Board shall be at least 50 percent of the Members
  3. The Chairperson shall preside at meetings of the Board and in the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice shall preside.
  4. Matters before the Board shall be determined by a simple majority of members present and voting. In the event of equality of votes, the person presiding shall have a casting vote
  5. The Board may co-opt a person to attend a Board meeting, but a co-opted person shall not vote on matters for decision at the meeting.
9. Establishment of Committees

The Board may establish committees of members or both to perform a function

10. Renumeration

The work of Board members shall be voluntary and will attract no fee payments for the first year. However, operational cost including transport approved by the Board will be refunded to members who act on behalf of the Board.

11. Tenure of office of Trustees
  1. A Member of the Board shall hold office for a period of not more than four years and is eligible for re-appointment, but a member shall not be more than two terms.
  2. A Member of the Board may at any time resign from office in writing addressed to the Municipal Chief Executive though the Chairperson of the Board.
  3. Where there is vacancy as a result of sub-section (2) or by reason of the death of a member, the Chairperson shall notify the Chief Executive of the Municipal Assembly of the vacancy and who shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy.
12. Secretariat of the Fund

The Board of Trustees shall have a Secretariat which shall be manned by a Secretary and an Accountant who shall ensure the daily and regular operation of the activities of the Fund. Salary and emoluments of personnel of the Secretariat shall be determined by the Board. The Secretariat, under the direction of the Board, shall be responsible for:

  1. Preparing the annual work program and budget of the Secretariat for submission to the Board of Trustees
  2. Receiving all applications, undertaking preliminary evaluation, and recommendations for submission to the Board for review and approval.
  3. Providing secretarial duties to the Board

Reporting regularly as required to the Board on operations of the Fund.

13. Procedure for receiving applications

The Board of Trustees will determine the exact procedure to be followed in   receiving applications. However, it is envisaged that all applications would come from parents, Assembly Members, Institutions, and individuals.

14. Sources of Funds for the Trust Fund

Sources of fund shall include receipts from donors, individuals, and institutions from within and outside Ghana, earnings on savings/deposits and other forms of investments.

15. Effective Date of Commencement of Operations

The BOARD SHALL COMMENCE OPERATIONS ON 15TH December, 2009