Edugrant, a non-profit mentorship platform has given out cash prizes to nine secondary school students in its monthly Essay Competition.
The cash prizes were worth N300, 000. The essay competition which started in December 2020 focuses on topics that are marketable and tech-based.
“We are a non-profit organisation built on the belief that future leaders will be created through today’s investment in education for all,” the organisation stated.
Writing essays develops a clear and concise use of language in students. This helps them communicate their ideas clearly to others. It promotes critical thinking.
It also helps students learn how to assess the strength of arguments so that they can come up with stronger positions. Through critical thinking, students learn how to observe different perspectives and views.
This month’s essay which ended on March 18 was on the topic “The availability of internet access in Nigeria has risen within the past few years and is still increasing. Do you think this will have a positive or negative impact on students’ academic performance?”
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Applicants participated by submitting scanned handwritten or typed essays of 750 – 1000 words to [email protected].
They were also required to submit a scanned copy of their school identity card or any other form of ID which includes the name of their school and class, full name, and phone number at the end of their essays.
The winner, the first and second, runner-ups were rewarded with N50, 000, N30, 000 and N20, 000 respectively.
In its February 2020 edition, many entries were received from across the country, and the top 10 were selected and invited for a second screening.
The second stage of the screening took place on February 20. It was a virtual event held via Google Meet.
Students were supervised and made to send in their scripts immediately after writing. At the end of the screening, the top three were selected: Patricia Ugweye, St. Anne’s Secondary School, Kakuri, Kaduna State(winner), Agarry Fiyinfoluwa, Deeper Life High School, Kaduna campus(first runner up) and Oluwatomilola Arogundade, Fountains International High School, Ado-Ekiti (the second runner up.)
