Ten Science Students. Three Years. Excellence and Virtue.
Not a scholarship. A partnership in excellence.
What We Believe
Chitoku (知徳) joins two ideas: chi, wisdom and knowledge, and toku, virtue and moral character. We believe the two are built together or not at all.Pairing challenging academic work with intentional mentorship will be the dominant driver of honest student-outcomes over the next decade. If that's true, then it cannot be occasional, and it cannot be generic. It has to be sustained, and it has to be built around the student in front of us. Over three years, from freshman to final year, we provide individualized academic guidance, emotional support, and family partnership. We stay close enough to understand the pressures each fellow faces in school, so no one navigates high school alone.
Why We Exist
The Chitoku Scholars Project exists to awaken the urgency to succeed in school by showing students what sincere learning effort makes possible. It offers a pathway to academic excellence, ethical formation, and long-term opportunity for students ready to commit to the work.For students like ours, support prior to the start of high school usually takes the form of a scholarship: tuition covered, a stipend, a mattress, a chop box. It removes a financial barrier and assumes the student now has every reason to succeed. It addresses the mind and leaves character untouched. But when several concepts discussed in class become difficult to grasp and anxiety builds before an exam, or an emotional frustration threatens their ability to focus, a paid bill gets no one through.That is what we are here for. We want every student to succeed, because that success honors the sacrifices made for them by their parents and guardians. We work alongside scholars on the material they must study and the habits that will carry them through the next decade. The first cohort begins in September 2026, and scholars receive wrap-around support for all three years.Read full message ->
Who We're Looking For
We welcome determined students from any background, and we are placing a growing emphasis on those who are already doing meaningful work. These individuals move quickly from intention to action, show strong instincts for how they learn, and demonstrate unusual self-direction, the kind that doesn't wait to be told what to do.Scholars bring their existing strengths to real academic challenges alongside our mentors, while receiving wrap-around support. We value excellence regardless of junior high school ranking or institution, and encourage applicants who are self-taught, unconventional, or early in their journey if they have a clear record of working and learning with intensity.
The Program
Your child receives more than academic support: steady guidance, intellectual challenge, and a community that expects the best, from the first day to the last. Six parts, one program. Each reinforces the others1. AcademicsWe go beyond financial aid by working where scholars actually study. Our team visits them at their schools during allowable hours, sitting with them to break down the concepts that challenge even the strongest students.Through individualized tutoring and structured study sessions, scholars build the confidence and depth to sustain academic excellence. We partner with parents throughout, so the work at school is reinforced at home, closing the gaps that lead to frustration or, worse, to shortcuts like cheating.2. GuidanceTo help scholars make informed decisions, we connect them with a diverse network of professionals and experts who volunteer their time to work alongside them on study habits, time management, and long-term planning. These guides help scholars align their academic efforts with their aspirations.Through regular interaction, scholars gain access to role models who shape not just how they study, but how they think: inspiring ethical, informed choices and a vision of a future beyond the classroom.3. EnrichmentDuring school breaks, we host non-residential programs for the cohort at a dedicated location. Sessions focus on discussing what scholars will study in the coming term, grounding them in learning methods that assure them they've understood.On-site and via Zoom, scholars also meet professionals and experts in person, putting their thinking up against people who will challenge them.4. CompetitionScience Slams push scholars beyond the curriculum. The competition covers chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics: scholars receive topics to study independently, then compete in a high-stakes event before friends and family. Afterward, each topic is discussed in full, giving every scholar the chance to understand properly what they must know.5. FamilyTwice a year, we sit down with parents to hear how the program is affecting their child and to learn their hopes and concerns for the child's future. These conversations let us offer support where it's needed and stay aligned with each family's goals..6. CelebrationEach year, we gather with parents to review the scholars' progress, discuss the program, and celebrate what they've achieved. Scholars receive awards based on their commitment and performance in the program and at school. The year closes with a Christmas get-together and feast, a chance to mark the year together as we plan for the one ahead.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the 2026 Pilot Cohort:1. Be entering your first year (SHS 1) in September 2026.2. Be enrolled in the Science program at a high school within Accra.3. Show a determination to excel through ethical effort and a willingness to embrace new study methods.4. Have a parent or guardian ready to actively engage in the program's family components.
Apply
We are seeking ten high school freshmen and their families ready to commit to this path of discovery and growth. Participation carries no financial obligation.If your child is relentlessly curious, serious about their education, and you believe in the power of disciplined support to unlock extraordinary achievement, we want to hear from you.
A Message from Our Founder
The Chitoku Scholars Project exists to awaken the urgency to succeed in school by showing students what sincere learning effort makes possible. It offers a pathway to academic excellence, ethical formation, and long-term opportunity for students ready to commit to the work.For students like ours, support prior to the start of high school usually takes the form of a scholarship: tuition covered, a stipend, a mattress, a chop box. It removes a financial barrier and assumes the student now has every reason to succeed. It addresses the mind and leaves character untouched. But when several concepts discussed in class become difficult to grasp and anxiety builds before an exam, or an emotional frustration threatens their ability to focus, a paid bill gets no one through.That is what we are here for. We want every student to succeed, because that success honors the sacrifices made for them by their parents and guardians. We work alongside scholars on the material they must study and the habits that will carry them through the next decade. The first cohort begins in September 2026, and scholars receive wrap-around support for all three years.Many talented students want to excel but have never been shown what is actually at stake. We teach the most important academic and personal skills in a hands-on way, as early as possible, and make sure every scholar understands that this opportunity will not wait. We've seen what determined young people can do when someone sits with them and takes their potential seriously.Over the coming years, we will track every scholar from freshman year to senior year, measuring not just test scores but growth in resilience, moral judgment, and post–high school trajectory. Our goal is to build a model that can be studied, repeated, and scaled.To build that model, we need the right students. We are looking for students who work hard when no one is watching, who ask questions others won't, and who treat difficulty as something to be worked through rather than avoided. Top BECE results are not the measure. If you have an unconventional path, we encourage you to apply. Participation carries no financial obligation.We're going to need the best, most determined young minds to build what comes next. That thinker might be at the top of their class, or they might be the student nobody has noticed yet. This project is for young people who are curious, disciplined, and willing to work — and who are ready to become living examples of Chitoku.— Noah Hassani, Founder