No fewer than 670 students over the weekend benefited from the MTN Foundation scholarship scheme. While 590 students were from Science and Technology institutions in the South-West region, 80 blind students in Nigerian tertiary institutions made the list of the phisically challenged scholars.

Speaking at the awards ceremony held at the National Arts Theatre, Lagos, the Chairman, MTN Foundation, Ambassador Hamzat Ahmadu said the organisation celebrates academic excellence in students who have worked extremely hard and who definitely deserve an opportunity to pursue their dreams of higher education. "We recognise the exemplary effort of a special group of students who have to overcome daily challenges in their quest for a brighter future," he said.

According to him, over the last two weeks, scholarship awards have been presented to 238 successful candidates in Abuja, representing the Northern part of the country and 350 successful candidates in Owerri, representing the Eastern region.

On the whole, he noted that the foundation this year alone has awarded scholarship to 1,087 science students and 171 brilliant blind students. The gesture, he explained is about shaping Nigeria's future through education and making an investment in the lives of tomorrow's leaders, by providing them with an opportunity to pursue their dreams despite financial limitations.

Ahmadu who urged the recipients not to rest on their oars said the scholars' chances of enjoying the yearly N200,000 is based on the maintenance of 3.5 GPA and 2.5 GPA for the blind.

On her part, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma explained the process of obtaining the scholarship adding that applicants must be full-time undergraduates in public tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

Also, applicants from public universities and colleges of education must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) score of 3.5 or its equivalent 2.1. For Polythenics, she noted that applicants must have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 upper credit from the Ordinary National Diploma programme and have secured admission into the Higher National Diploma (HND) programme.