Grahamstown has seen a flurry of activities with The National Arts festival stealing headlines for the month of July. However many have forgotten the all important Schools festival which was highlighted by The De Beers English Olympiad’s prize giving.
The English Olympiad is a national English competition that draws more than 5 500 entries each year. This year the Olympiad drew more than 6 300 entries from high schools throughout the country. The competition is organised jointly by the Grahamstown Foundation and the South African Council for English Education.
The primary objectives of the De Beers English Olympiad are to enrich learners through the study of English while encouraging them to explore it beyond the scope of the school syllabus. It also encourages critical thinking and creative writing as learners enjoy the challenges of preparing for and writing the examination.
Judy Nkuna of De Beers said, “The English Olympiad stimulates English language use along with the development of critical thinking and creativity among thousands of young South Africans. This is critical not only to the life chances of the beneficiaries of this programme, but also to the national good, by assisting to connect our economy with others, and through that, increasing the opportunities for personal and national growth in South Africa”.
The motivation behind the competition for the students is not just a rich exploration into the study of English but also the prizes offered to the top 50 students.
Since 1999 Rhodes University has been handing out scholarships to the top 50 candidates offering a year’s free tuition across the faculties. Couple this with books and cash prizes, it is no wonder that interests in this contest have peaked each year.
With the educational sector undergoing so many changes it’s positive to see so many learners striving towards excellence and being afforded the opportunity to join the next generation of “leaders” at Rhodes University.