This year’s recipients, drawn from 45 public tertiary institutions nationwide, include 300 students and 200 teachers pursuing further studies. They were selected from a competitive pool of 3,691 applicants, with 1,200 shortlisted for interviews. Each scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, a semesterly stipend, and a laptop to support academic work and digital learning.

In her welcome address at the awards ceremony, Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, MTN Ghana, highlighted the Foundation’s continued commitment to education. She said “The Bright Scholarship reflects our relentless commitment to education. You are the garden we are cultivating today, and we expect to reap a harvest of well-prepared students ready to achieve the best in the years ahead. We are proud, not because of what we have given, but because of the impact it is making on individuals, families, and the country”.

CEO of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, for his part commended the beneficiaries and reaffirmed MTN’s dedication to education and youth development. He said, “At MTN Ghana, we believe education is the key to transformation. It unlocks opportunities, empowers innovation and creates possibilities for individuals, communities and entire nations. Yet for many young people, the path to education is filled with challenges. Financial difficulties, limited resources and uncertainty often stand in the way of their dreams.’’“That is why MTN Ghana Foundation established the MTN Bright Scholarship Scheme, to remove these barriers and give brilliant students a fair chance to succeed.”, he added.

A group picture of some MTN Bright Scholarship beneficiaries with their laptops.

Delivering remarks on behalf of the Minister of Education, Dr. Emmanuel Newman, Director of Tertiary Education, praised MTN Ghana Foundation for their sustained investment in education. “The MTN Ghana Foundation’s deliberate investment in education, particularly its focus on empowering young people, is laudable. It is a perfect example of how the corporate sector can align with government policies to provide equal access to education. The Bright Scholarship has become a flagship initiative of the MTN Ghana Foundation, demonstrating how private sector investment can transform lives, empower youth and contribute to national development”.

MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett, executives, Dr. Emmanuel Newman, dignitaries, and Bright Scholarship beneficiaries in Accra.

The event was attended by several dignitaries including Dr. Emmanuel Newman, Director of Tertiary Education at the Ministry of Education, Hon. Frank Amoakohene, Ashanti Regional Ministers,  Dr. Godwin Utuka, Director of Academic Affairs, Ghana Communication Technology University, Dr. Elizer T. Ameyaw Buronyah, Director of Public Affairs, University of Ghana, Prof. Judith Anaman, Dean of Students UHAS, Fausta K Ganaa, Deputy Registrar, Public Affairs, ATU, Kwame Konadu Owusu, Representing Registrar of UCC, MTN Executives, representatives from beneficiary institutions, staff of MTN and family and friends of the scholarship beneficiaries.

Frank Amoakohene, Ashanti Regional Minister, presenting a laptop to one of the beneficiaries in Kumasi

 MTN Bright Scholarship falls under the Education focus area of the MTN Ghana Foundation.

Originally inherited from the Scancom Scholarship Scheme, which supported over 1,000 students, the initiative was relaunched in 2018 as the Bright Scholarship. Since then, it has supported an additional 720 students across the country. Encouraged by its impact, the MTN Ghana Foundation has committed to scaling up the initiative, with plans to award 1,500 scholarships over the next three years to both students and teachers.