The Ministry of Education has started receiving scripts from students whose schools entered them in the annual East African Community Students’ essay writing competitions of 2017, Patrick Khaemba who coordinates the Focal Office in Kenya has said.
The competition is open to students in secondary schools in the five East African Community Partner States—Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, United Republic of Tanzania. It commenced on March 30, 2017 and will end on July 17, 2017.
Khaemba said the Ministry of Education was targeting 2,000 entries from the over 6,000 secondary schools in Kenya.
He asked leading secondary schools to enroll their students in the essay competition saying effective communication skills was requites for life long experience, and career development.
He said the essay writing competition provided a rare opportunity for students to apply and polish the writing skills that they learn in English as well as Kiswahili and French.
Students participating in the essay competition are required to write essays of between 1000-1500 words on: How will the integration of the East African Community partner states improve the standard of living of its people?
The competition was open to all students in form one to form four in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. Participants were asked write in English, French or in Kiswahili languages but on the same topic.
The competition aims to create awareness among the students about the policies, programmes and activities of East African Community.
The best essay write will be awarded certificates and a cash prize of US$750 (Sh75,000) while the first runners-up will be award certificates and a cash award of US$650 (Sh65,000).
The second first runners-up will be award certificates and a cash award of US$600 (Sh60,000).
There will be a tour of Uganda after the head of states summit in November 2017.
