Accra, Jan. 6, GNA - Unilever Ghana on Thursday granted a scholarship package worth 1.2 billion cedis to 15 undergraduates selected from the country's public universities to do post graduate courses in various disciplines.

The awards bring the number of beneficiaries of the scheme belonging to the undergraduates' category to 49, since its inception about five years ago.

The beneficiaries of the scholarship comprised students pursuing courses in Medicine, Engineering, Management, Science, Social Sciences and Agriculture.

Presenting the awards, Mr Andrew Quayson, Chairman, Unilever Trustees of Education and Development (UNED) said the awards formed part of the company's vision of contributing to harnessing the country's human resource needs.

He said it was also meant to give some respite to parents who constantly worry about raising money to cater for the educational needs of their wards.

Mr Quayson noted that students selected for the awards were subjected to rigorous interviews to ensure that they were worth the award.

He said this year, 417 applications were received and eventually fifteen were picked.

Mr. Quayson reminded the students that their academic progress would be monitored and that the awards were subject to yearly review by the board of trustees.

The scholarship takes care of the students' residential and academic fees, book allowance and other miscellaneous needs.