By Hassan Osman Kargbo
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education in Sierra Leone, Conrad Sackey, has officially launched the fifth edition of the National Essay Competition organized by the UBA Foundation, encouraging pupils across the country to actively participate in discussions on issues affecting society.
The competition was launched during an event held at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown, bringing together education officials, students and other stakeholders in the education sector.
This year’s competition focuses on the topic “Gender Based Violence in Schools Causes Consequences and Solutions.” The theme is aimed at encouraging students to examine the causes and effects of gender based violence in educational institutions and propose practical solutions to address the problem.
Delivering his keynote address, Minister Conrad Sackey called on pupils across the country to use the opportunity to express their views through writing. He encouraged them to apply creativity and critical thinking in discussing issues that influence their communities and the nation as a whole.
According to the minister, initiatives such as the National Essay Competition play an important role in building confidence among young people while also strengthening their ability to think critically and communicate effectively through writing.
Also speaking at the event, the Chief Operating Officer of UBA Sierra Leone, Chiedu Ngene, highlighted the positive impact the competition has had since it was introduced.
He noted that since its inception the initiative has attracted more than 1500 essays from over 500 schools across Sierra Leone. According to him, the growing participation shows the level of interest among pupils who are eager to share their ideas and contribute to national conversations through writing.
Ngene added that the competition has produced several inspiring success stories among young Sierra Leoneans who have demonstrated outstanding writing skills and intellectual ability through their participation.
Through the National Essay Competition, the UBA Foundation aims to provide a platform for pupils to read widely, think deeply and write confidently on issues that affect their lives and communities.
The launch event also brought together representatives from ILRAJ, which is serving as the lead coordinator for this year’s competition, along with education stakeholders and students from various schools who attended the ceremony.
Organizers announced that the competition is now open to pupils across the country. Interested participants are required to submit essays of not more than 500 words based on the competition topic.
The deadline for submission of entries has been set for April 30. Organizers say the competition is expected to inspire many more students to develop their writing skills while contributing thoughtful ideas on addressing gender based violence in schools across Sierra Leone.
