The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak on Wednesday, 21st October 2026, officially launched the Colgate Scholarship Campaign at the Fiesta Royale Hotel in Accra, highlighting the government’s resolve to expand educational opportunities and enhance learning outcomes across the country.
Organised by Colgate-Palmolive Ghana in partnership with Melcom, the nationwide initiative seeks to ease the financial burden on parents while promoting oral health and educational support for school-going children.
Addressing dignitaries, education stakeholders, and school children at the event, the Deputy Minister emphasised that education remains a fundamental constitutional right rather than a privilege.
She noted that while enrolment figures across kindergarten, primary, junior high, and senior high schools have witnessed notable growth, closing the gap in Net Enrolment Rates remains critical to ensuring children learn at the appropriate age.
“Article 25 of the 1992 Constitution guarantees that all persons have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities, and that basic education shall be free, compulsory, and available to all. Education, therefore, is not a privilege. It is a right,” the Deputy Minister stated.
Commending Colgate-Palmolive Ghana and Melcom for their corporate social responsibility, she noted that the campaign goes beyond financial aid by restoring dignity and hope to Ghanaian households.
Under the campaign, sixteen grand scholarships worth GH¢15,000 each—totalling GH¢240,000—will be disbursed directly to the educational institutions of the beneficiaries to cover tuition fees, approved levies, and learning materials. In addition, GH¢120,000 worth of Melcom shopping vouchers will be distributed as family welfare support to assist households with essential school supplies and basic needs.
“Colgate-Palmolive and Melcom are committing significant resources directly to Ghanaian families. Sixteen grand scholarships of GH¢15,000 each, a total prize pool of GH¢240,000, will be awarded and paid directly to beneficiaries’ educational institutions, to cover school fees, approved levies, and educational materials. This guarantees that the funds serve their true purpose: keeping a child in the classroom,” he remarked.
Highlighting the state’s budget allocations, the Deputy Minister pointed to the massive investments made by the government to support basic and secondary education, as well as health initiatives that directly impact school attendance and readiness.
He urged parents and guardians across the country to take advantage of the campaign by purchasing participating Colgate products at any Melcom store nationwide and scanning the designated QR code to nominate students before the promotion closes on 13th December.
Reassuring the young students present at the launch, the Deputy Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing their future, encouraging them to remain focused on their academic pursuits.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana