TWO secondary school students from public schools have excelled in the 2018 East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) essay writing competition.
They are Innocent Shirima from Moshi Secondary School in Kilimanjaro Region, who won an essay writing in EAC and Sada Kimangale from Kwemnabara Secondary School, Tanga Region, excelled in a SADC competition.
The two students were awarded certificates and prizes at national level in Dodoma yesterday by Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Dr Ave Maria Semakafu.
Speaking during the awarding ceremony, Dr Semakafu said Tanzanians should value public schools and not entertain the stereotype view that they didn’t perform well because public school students did very well when they competed at international level.
“Today’s (yesterday) event conveys an important message to those, who undermine the country’s public education because the first winners of EAC and SADC essay writing competition are from public schools,” she noted.
Dr Semakafu said that those, who had made the students excel were Tanzanians, who had acquired their education in the country.
She, however, commended President John Magufuli for extending education opportunities in the country through the provision of free education, which had made more children have access to secondary education.
For her part, Essay Writing Competition Coordinator from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Sylivia Chinguwile said the competition had inspired the youth to do more researches, learn and understand properly the entire process and various steps for strengthening relations with member states.
“Topics for competitions take into account agreements by the Head of States and thereafter each member state is responsible for announcing the competition and qualifications as directed by the secretariat of the regional bloc,” Ms Chinguwile said.
She further said that the essays were submitted to the ministry after being scrutinised at school level and being marked by a panel of experts and the best essays were sent to Botswana to compete with regional member states.
For EAC five best essays were taken to Arusha headquarters to compete with other member states.
