MTN Ghana has awarded 500 scholarships to students and teachers under its 2026 MTN Bright Scholarship Scheme, reaffirming the telecommunications company’s commitment to education and youth development.
The scholarships comprise 300 students and 200 teachers in public universities, with beneficiaries receiving full tuition support until completion, hostel accommodation, a laptop and a stipend.
The Acting General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Ghana, Mrs Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, said the scholarship scheme was a legacy programme inherited from Scancom and rebranded in 2017.
Speaking at the 2026 MTN Bright Scholarship Awards ceremony in Accra, she said the programme had become a key part of the company’s efforts to support brilliant but needy students and invest in Ghana’s future leaders.
She explained that the awards were being presented in two phases, with the first taking place in Accra and the second scheduled for the Ashanti Region next week for beneficiaries from Ashanti and northern Ghana.
Madam Georgina Fiagbenu said the initiative was anchored on MTN’s three focus areas of health, education and economic empowerment, adding that it had evolved in response to feedback from communities.
She noted that the programme had produced significant results over the years, with more than 200 beneficiaries graduating with first-class honours.
She urged the public to help raise awareness about the scholarship scheme to ensure that more deserving students who face financial difficulties could benefit.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, has commended MTN Ghana and the MTN Ghana Foundation for supporting government efforts to expand access to quality and inclusive education.
He said although Ghana had made progress in improving educational opportunities, many talented young people continued to face financial barriers that threatened their academic ambitions.
According to him, initiatives such as the MTN Bright Scholarship Scheme were essential because they helped remove these barriers while encouraging academic excellence among young people.
“By removing financial barriers, it creates opportunities for deserving students to pursue their ambitions and realise their full potential,” he said.
Dr Apaak stressed that the government, under President John Dramani Mahama, remained committed to education and scholarship programmes, citing allocations made in the 2025 and 2026 national budgets.
He said the 2025 budget provided GH¢42.16 billion for education from government resources, the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), and development partners, including a record GH¢9.1 billion for basic education.
He added that the 2026 budget allocated GH¢300 million to support continuing scholarship beneficiaries and new local and international scholarship awards.
The Deputy Education Minister also highlighted the government’s No Fees Stress policy, which seeks to ensure that first-year tertiary students are not denied admission because their parents cannot afford the required fees.
He disclosed that the Minister for Education was engaging the Minister for Finance to ensure the timely release of funds to tertiary institutions, preventing parents from paying out of pocket while awaiting reimbursement.
Dr Apaak said the government’s intention was to ensure that funds under the policy reached institutions before students reported for their academic programmes.
He, however, acknowledged that government could not shoulder the responsibility of financing education alone, stressing the need for stronger partnerships with the private sector.
“The message is clear: government and the private sector must work hand in hand to expand opportunities for our young people,” he said.
Drawing from his personal experience, Dr Apaak encouraged the scholarship beneficiaries to appreciate the opportunity and use it to build successful futures.
He recounted growing up in a small village, explaining that education, hard work and opportunity had played a significant role in transforming his life.
He urged the beneficiaries to remain focused and disciplined, describing the scholarships as both a reward for their efforts and a responsibility to contribute to national development.
The Deputy Minister called on other corporate organisations to emulate MTN’s initiative, saying businesses must see themselves not only as taxpayers but also as partners in nation-building.
He said investments in education would help develop the workforce, leadership and expertise Ghana needs to secure its future.
Dr Apaak congratulated the 2026 beneficiaries and expressed appreciation to MTN Ghana and its foundation for complementing the government’s efforts to improve educational access and outcomes.
