Twelve exceptional learners from across the country will on Friday be feted by the Nation Media Group (NMG) for their outstanding performance in the National Essay and Insha Writing Competition, a contest that celebrates the creativity and writing prowess of learners in primary, junior and secondary schools.
The award ceremony will take place at Nation Centre in Nairobi on December 13, 2024, where the winners will receive Sh50,000 each, worth of school fees, in recognition of their accomplishments.
The competition, run by NMG’s flagship publications, Daily Nation and Taifa Leo , saw participants from both primary and secondary schools compete monthly in essay writing for Nation and insha writing for Taifa Leo since February 2024.
The twelve winners – six in each category – represent the best of Kenya’s young writers, having triumphed in the final national competition held on December 3, 2024, across seven major towns: Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Kakamega, Nyeri and Kitui.
The Daily Nation awards, which recognise the top essay writers, will honour three pupils from primary schools and three students from secondary schools. Similarly, Taifa Leo will recognise the top three insha writers from both primary and secondary school categories. The award, totalling Sh600,000 in prize money, will contribute towards the winners’ school fees.
This year marks the second edition of the Nation Essay Writing Competition, which was launched in May 2023, inspired by the long-running Taifa Leo Insha Writing Competition.
Newspapers in Education programme
The initiative, part of NMG’s Newspapers in Education (NiE) programme, aims to foster oratory and written talent among learners from both public and private schools across the country.
The competition is organized in seven regions: Nairobi, Central, Coast, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western, and Eastern and North Eastern. Every month, seven winners are selected – one from each region – for both primary and secondary school categories.
The monthly winners of the essay in English are rewarded a token of Sh3,000 for themselves and a similar amount given to their teachers and schools. For the insha, Taifa Leo awards Sh4,000 to each monthly winner, their teacher and school, a gesture that underscores the importance of nurturing young talent.
The national competition, which culminated in the grand finale this month, attracted the best of the best from all corners of the country. The final scripts were marked by a panel of experienced teachers and national examiners who assessed participants on creativity, language proficiency, organisation and mechanical accuracy.
Nation Media Group’s Head of Circulation, John Wanjohi, said the major aim of the competition is to boost language confidence, improve writing skills and foster a culture and practice of writing among young scholars in recognition of the important role writing plays in the life of a citizen.
“It sharpens research skills and by implication improves vocabulary. It gives us a unity of purpose underscored by a vision to refine the lives of communities around us and influence society positively. Society is shaped by the ideas we drive through writing,” he stated.
Gilbert Mogire, the Lead Editor of Taifa Leo, commended the students for their hard work and urged them to continue embracing NMG’s digital platforms for research and learning. He emphasised that such competitions help develop critical thinking and creativity, key skills that the education system strives to cultivate through the competency-based curriculum (CBC).
Philemon Bett, NiE Coordinator at NMG, also lauded the high standard of the entries received, noting the impressive performance of the young writers.
“The quality of entries this year was remarkable, and the winners exemplify excellence in writing,” Mr Bett said.
Since its inception, the competition has sparked an enthusiasm for writing and inspired students to improve their literacy skills.
Past participants have gone on to achieve excellent grades in national examinations, further proving the long-term value of such initiatives.
As the competition continues to grow, it is clear that the NiE programme plays a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of creative thinkers and skilled communicators, paving the way for a brighter future for Kenya’s young writers.
