Accra, Ghana, September, 2019//-MTN Ghana Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of MTN Ghana today awarded 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.
Out of the 100 beneficiaries, 50 of them are made of students of the Southern Sector, while other 50 are from the Northern Sector.
The Northern Sector presentation ceremony will held in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital for beneficiaries from the region, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo, Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East and Upper West regions.
Speaking at the scholarship awards presentation ceremony for the Southern Sector held in Accra, William Tetteh who represented 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.
The MTN Bright Scholarship is an initiative that is dear to the hearts of the telecoms company because of the potential it has in shaping the future and destiny of the youth and ultimately the country.
Mr Adadevoh therefore urged the beneficiaries to put the scholarships into good use by dedicated all their time on their studies.
In his welcome address, the Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Samuel Koranteng, said the scholarships were aimed at impacting the lives of the beneficiaries and the country at large.
Show of gov’t-private sector partnership
The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, thanked MTN Ghana for its policy of supporting brilliant students through scholarships to further their education at the tertiary level.
He acknowledged that the private sector is indeed the engine of growth and they shall continue to encourage that sector to partner the government to fund education.
The scheme is even more appreciated as it is directed towards supporting the vulnerable and the deprived: in the brilliant but needy students, Prof Yankah stated.
“We indeed urge the entire private sector to emulate the MTN gesture in partnering government to fund tertiary education”, he said.
Tonnes of gratitude
Beneficiaries of the scholarship programme including Ms Ummu Adam, a student of the University of Ghana, 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.
Ms Dzadey Dziedzorm, a beneficiary of the scholarship and student of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) was grateful to MTN Ghana for sponsoring their education.
She said: “Without the MTN’s scholarships most of us who have deferred our courses to next year. This is because there are no other options”.
Ms Dziedzorm who is studying Bachelor of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the UHAS, added: “The scholarship scheme is really a very good initiative which will propel them to greater heights”.
Process of selection of the 100 awardees
At the close of the deadline for submission of the applications, a total of over 1,180 entries were received from all the 16 regions of the country.
Out of the total received, 184 were shortlisted and final 100 selected.
The shortlisted candidates were subsequently invited for virtual interviews in accordance with the covid-19 safety protocols.
The interviews were conducted by an independent panel which comprised academia and accredited human resource personnel.
The panel, after interviewing and verifying information received selected 100 students who will be awarded the MTN Bright Scholarship.
The scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, accommodation and a stipend for books and other relevant reading materials for the duration of their studies. The list of successful students had been published in selected newspapers.
The first batch of 100 scholarships was awarded in 2018 to students in public tertiary institutions across the country.
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.
So far, 300 scholarships have been awarded to students in public tertiary institutions across the country for 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic years respectively.
These current awardees are the final batch of 100 scholarships of the Bright Scholarship scheme.
The MTN Ghana Foundation has over a 12 year period awarded over 1000 scholarships to students from basic school to the tertiary level.
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.
African Eye Report
