The  MTN Ghana Foun­dation yesterday awarded scholarships to 500 individ­uals for the 2025/2026 academic year under its flagship MTN Bright Scholarship scheme.The beneficiaries are 300 students and 200 teachers from the various public tertiary insti­tutions across the country who sent through a vigorous interview process to be selected for the scholarship.The initiative, held on the theme "Honouring Students' Excellence through Scholarships", forms part of the Foundation's Corporate Social Investment drive aimed at supporting human capital develop­ment.The Chief Executive Offi­cer (CEO) of MTN Ghana, Mr Stephen Blewett, speaking at a cere­mony yesterday in Accra to present the scholarships to the beneficiaries, said the Foundation had committed to offering 1,600 scholarships over the next three years."Today is not just about awarding scholarships, it's about investing in dreams, your dreams, unlocking potential and securing the future of Ghana," he said."Education unlocks opportuni­ties and powers innovation.

With­out it, we don't get innovation."Mr Blewett said the Bright Schol­arship covered tuition, accommo­dation, stipends and laptops to ease the financial burden of beneficia­ries, adding that the awards were both a privilege and a responsibility.He disclosed that since its incep­tion in 2018, the scheme had sup­ported more than 2,220 students and teachers across the country.Highlighting its impact, the CEO noted that ten beneficiaries had graduated as valedictorians and best students, 20 had obtained first-class honours, while 94 had graduated with second-class upper division."These achievements are proof that with investment in education, we can transform not only individ­ual lives but entire communities," he said.Mr Blewett explained that the first batch of 500 scholarships for the 2025/26 academic year com­prised 300 students pursuing first degrees in STEM, vocational and technical training, and 200 teachers upgrading their skills."This year, we received 3,691 applications, shortlisted 1,200 for interviews, and selected 500 excep­tional candidates," he said.

Benefi­ciaries, he noted, were drawn from 42 public institutions nationwide, with 170 (34 per cent) studying engineering, ICT and computer science; 80 in the sciences; and 50 in the humanities and business.Out of the total, 187 were fe­males and 313 males, while 33 were differently abled students."This representation shows that the Bright Scholarship is not just about breaking barriers, it is about amplifying impact across disci­plines, regions and communities," he stressed.Mr Blewett encouraged awardees to study diligently, believe in themselves, and give back to society when they achieved success. "There is a very good chance that one day, one of you will stand where I am standing today as CEO," he said.The Minister of Education, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, in a speech read on his behalf, commended MTN for its consistency in investing in edu­cation and urged other corporate bodies to emulate the Foundation.He appealed to MTN to scale up the awards to at least 2,600 benefi­ciaries annually, 100 for each of the 16 regions.The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Manager of MTN Ghana, Mrs Adwoa Wiafe, said the Foundation was proud of the impact of the scheme."We are cultivating a garden of students today, and in a few years, we expect to reap a harvest of well-prepared graduates ready to transform society," she said.Since its inception, the Bright Scholarship has supported more than 2220 Ghanaian students with tuition, accommodation, stipends and laptops. BY KINGSLEY ASARE🔗 Follow Ghanaian Times WhatsApp Channel today.

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