Accra, Ghana, September 19, 2018//-MTN Ghana Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of MTN Ghana today awarded 100 scholarships to 100 tertiary students across the country.
The scholarships cover the cost of tuition, accommodation and a stipend for books and other relevant reading materials for the duration of their studies.
Speaking at the scholarship awards ceremony in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Selorm Adadevoh was confident that through the MTN Bright Scholarship programme the beneficiary students would complete their studies with ease.
He therefore urged the beneficiaries to put the scholarships into good use by dedicated all their time on their studies. “This is what we expect of you”, Mr Adadevoh stated.
Genesis of the scholarship programme
The scholarship programme is in fulfillment of commitment MTN made to Ghanaians during the commemoration of its 20th Anniversary in 2016.
During the celebrations, MTN Ghana, through the foundation said it would award 100 scholarships to students in public tertiary institutions each year for three years. In all, 300 scholarships would be awarded.
Process of selection of the 100 awardees
The Board Chairman of the MTN Ghana Foundation, Prof Franklyn Manu said: “It all started in April 2018 with a request for qualified students to submit their applications for consideration.
At the close of the deadline for submission of the applications, over 1,500 entries were received from all the 10 regions of the country. Out of the total received, 205 were shortlisted and final 100 selected”.
He continued: “This number is made up of 82 males and 18 females who are currently pursuing courses in the field of engineering, sciences and humanities in public institutions across the country”.
18% of the awardees are female students. 10% of them are disabled students, while the rest of the awardees are male students.
Prof Manu observed that their statistics indicated that “very low females participated, only 353 of the total applications submitted were female”.
He therefore used the opportunity to urge the female students to take advantage of the MTN Bright Scholarship programme in the next two years, saying: “We believe in the capabilities of women and we encourage you to show interest in subsequent requests”.
According to Prof Manu, one of the main objectives of the scholarship programme was to create opportunities for brilliant students from deprived communities and homes.
“The scholarship also seeks to place special emphasis on creating equal opportunities for all”, he added.
Show of gov’t-private sector partnership
The Minister of State In-charge of Tertiary Education, Prof Kwesi Yankah commended MTN Ghana for partnering government in the area of education, health and economic empowerment.
Beneficiaries of the scholarship programme also thanked MTN Ghana for investing in their future and promised the board, management and staff of the telecom company that they won’t disappoint them.
African Eye Report
