500 beneficiaries secure MTN Bright Scholarship awards

By Christabel DANSO ABEAM

The MTN Ghana Foundation has awarded 500 new beneficiaries under its flagship Bright Scholarship Scheme for the 2025/26 academic year

This gesture, according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – MTN Ghana Stephen Blewett during his speech at the awards ceremony, aims to strengthen its commitment to human capital development and sustainable national growth.

Beneficiaries for this academic year include three hundred students pursuing first degrees in Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), vocational and technical training and two hundred teachers advancing their education at public universities.

“The beneficiaries were selected after going through a competitive process that had 3691 applicants, with 1200 shortlisted for interviews and 500 rising as outstanding candidates,” he noted.

The scholarship package covers tuition, accommodation, a stipend and a laptop to support academic work, which will help to ease financial constraints faced by many Ghanaian families.

The CEO further emphasised that the event was not to only award scholarships, but also “To unlock potential and secure the future of Ghana. Education is the key to transformation and by investing in students and teachers, we are empowering the next generation to shape the Ghana they want”.

Since its relaunch in 2018, the Bright Scholarship has supported over 720 students in addition to the 1,000 covered under its predecessor scheme. Many alumni are now professionals in engineering, medicine, business and education, while making meaningful contributions to their communities and the nation.

Highlighting the scheme’s impact, he revealed that ten alumni have graduated as valedictorians while 520 achieved first-class honours and 94 completed with second-class upper division.

In order to impact more lives, Mr. Blewett revealed that there is an ambitious scale-up plan to award 1,500 scholarships annually for students and teachers across the country – with a focus on STEM, vocational and technical disciplines during the next three years.

To the awardees, he reminded them that the scholarship is both a privilege and a responsibility.

“To whom much is given, much is expected. We urge you to study diligently, dream boldly and give back to society,” he said.

This year’s 500 beneficiaries represent 42 public institutions nationwide; including 187 females, 313 males and 33 differently-abled students, showcasing the scheme’s inclusiveness and reach.

Representing the Minister for Education, Dr. Emmanuel Newman commended MTN Ghana and the MTN Foundation for their consistent investment in education and indicated the scheme aligns with government’s vision of inclusive access to quality education – especially in STEM, vocational and technical fields.

Dr. Newman further noted that there has been an increase of women enrollment in higher education and technical institutions, describing this as a positive development.

He underscored the ministry’s commitment in collaborating with any institution willing to help bridge educational gaps and promote inclusivity, while calling on all beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity given them.

Dr. Lawrence Asare Boadi, a member of the jury for this year’s selection process, said the  experience was inspiring.

On his part, the two-week interview process demonstrated the resilience, determination and passion of applicants despite their financial struggles.

“We ensured the process was rigorous, fair and friendly. We verified details from families and schools to make sure our decisions were fair and unbiased. It was not an easy task, but today we are confident that every awardee truly deserves this opportunity,” he noted.

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