The MTN Ghana Foundation has extended its commitment to education by awarding scholarships to 200 underprivileged students pursuing undergraduate degrees, as well as vocational and technical skills training, at public tertiary institutions across the country.
This initiative is part of the Foundation’s Bright Scholarship Scheme for the 2024/2025 academic year, designed to alleviate the financial burdens faced by deserving but economically disadvantaged students.
The MTN Bright Scholarship covers tuition and accommodation fees while also providing stipends for books and laptops to support the academic success of the beneficiaries.
Speaking on the significance of this program, Robert Kuzoe, Senior Manager of the MTN Ghana Foundation, highlighted the aim of the scholarship.
“Our aim is to fund the tuition and accommodation fees of these students in order to give them peace of mind to study,” he stated.
In a notable move, this year’s scholarship program also includes 20 students with various forms of disabilities, demonstrating the Foundation’s commitment to inclusivity.
The selection of beneficiaries involved a meticulous assessment process, which relied on independent and credible panellists not affiliated with MTN Ghana. “We received over 2,000 applications,” Kuzoe revealed. “However, the panellists were able to narrow it down to the 200 students who truly qualify and are in need of the scholarship.”
MTN Ghana’s CEO Stephen Blewett emphasised the company’s ongoing investment in education in Ghana. “We believe that the next great idea or technology can come from Ghana… and that’s why we continue to invest in the people of Ghana,” he remarked.
Although Blewett did not disclose the exact amount invested in the scholarship program, he confirmed that each student will receive comprehensive support, including accommodation, a laptop, tuition fees, and stipends.
The MTN Bright Scholarship was initially launched in 2018 as part of a commitment made by MTN Ghana during its 20th anniversary in 2016.
At that time, MTN promised to award a total of 300 scholarships over three years. Due to the significant positive impact of the program on the lives of beneficiaries, the Foundation renewed the scholarship in 2021 as part of MTN’s 25th-anniversary celebration.
Over the past 15 years, the MTN Ghana Foundation has awarded over 1,000 scholarships, benefiting students from basic schools to tertiary institutions.
Additionally, in 2015, the Foundation launched the Teacher Improvement Award Program, which provides financial support to public school teachers wishing to upgrade their education to the graduate or postgraduate level.
This year’s scholarship awards and the Foundation’s ongoing educational initiatives underscore MTN Ghana’s commitment to fostering academic excellence and providing equitable access to education for all segments of society.