The top three; overall winner Rheecious Luweya flanked by runner-up Allan Nkhoma (right) and 3rd-placed Favour Kalirani
* They are able to research and organise information for effective communication which is the essence of letter writing competition
* As Chichiri Secondary School Form 4 student, Rheecious Isaac Luweya is crowned Malawi’s best young letter writer
* Of the 54th International Letter Writing Competition under the theme; ‘Imagine you are the ocean — write a letter to someone explaining why and how they should take good care of you’
By Duncan Mlanjira
In applauding the International Letter Writing Competition organised by Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) — in collaboration with Universal Postal Union (UPU), Zomba City’s Likangala Secondary School headteacher, Carol Mbewe attested to that competition plays a crucial role in shaping learners in critical thinking.
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She emphasised that the learners “are able to look at issues around them and relate them to their everyday life [and that] they are also able to research and organise information for effective communication — which is the essence of letter writing competition”.
“The fact that we have winners means they were able to express themselves in expected standards,” said Mbewe at the presentation of the 54th International Letter Writing Competition held at her school on Friday.
The overall winner was Chichiri Secondary School Form 4 student, Rheecious Isaac Luweya, whose runner-up was Allan Nkhoma of Likangala Secondary School with 3rd place going to Favour Kalirani from Loyola Secondary School in Kasungu.
They received fabulous prizes that included medals, laptop and a laptop bag each, scientific calculator, English dictionary, hardcover exercise books, and MACRA-branded materials. The three winning schools each received a desktop computer and laser jet printer as an appreciation of excellent mentorship.
Headteacher Mbewe described the prizes as precious which will help to inspire more learners to participate again in the next competitions, having recorded 79 national entries — with Rheecious winning entry already submitted to the Universal Postal Union for the global competition.
Mbewe thus congratulated the top three national winner and encouraged them to keep on practising writing good English like the way you did in this competition while appealing to learners across the nation to positively take part in the competition to improve their English writing skills.
Gracing the occasion as guest of honour was director of quality assurance in the Ministry of Education, Science & Technology, Lindiwe Chide, who profoundly congratulated Rheecious’ essay, saying it delved deeper into her knowledge of the importance of conservation of the environment to protect the bigger picture of the oceans.
In the letter to her best school mate, Tiya-Maria Simbota — that Rheecious read and was given a huge round of applause for, says in the preamble: “I write to tell you more about how important I am. I am the ocean, a beautiful expanse of water covering 70% of the Earth’s surface and holding 90% of water. I am a home to countless species. The planet’s heart is what I am. I provide oxygen and regulate temperatures and making life possible to all for decades. I have been supporting all; providing water, minerals and a habitat to different kinds of animals. But slowly I am drifting away. You human are destroying me.”
Chide bestowing the medal honour on Rheecious
The letter was addressed to human Tiya-Mariah (far right)
The Ministry’s director of quality assurance took note that the theme was thought-provoking and ideal in the context of taking care of the environment, saying: “I am sure we can learn some home-grown solutions through the ideas that you researched on and used in your letters on how to take care of our environment.
“As children, you are the next generation of policy makers, consumers and leaders and by understanding the environment now, you will be better equipped to make informed decisions and address the complex environment challenges of the future.”
Chide further encouraged the future leaders to “always be in a habit of finding solutions to society’s problems and competitions like these offer that opportunity to research on ways that we can improve our society”.
“So, let us always take advantage of these opportunities, not only to improve our writing and research skills, but also to find solutions to our problems,” said Chide, while pledging that the Ministry “will stop at nothing in ensuring that all learners acquire the necessary foundation skills at an early stage.
On the part of MACRA, acting Director General, Mphatso Phiri, observed that at 79 competing entries, this was a drop and could be attributed to various factors that include notification period and understanding of the thematic area.
“In its quest for transparency and obtaining credible results or outcomes, MACRA engaged national markers through the Ministry of Education, Science & Technology to assist in marking the entries.
She appraised the gathering of students from various secondary schools, teachers, parents annual and guests that included Group Village Headman Chikanda, that the competition is organised by the Universal Postal Union — a United Nations body that MACRA is affiliated to.
Acting MACRA DG Mphatso Phiri
Through the competition, MACRA ensures that secondary schools’ young minds are given a chance to showcase their writing skills, which UPU has been organising since 1971 — targeting learners aged between 9 and 15 years, to write letters on a given theme.
The international competition is in its 54th anniversary since its inception, and the acting DG emphasised that it is important for three reasons:
* as an excellent way of making young people aware of the important role postal services play in our societies;
* helps to develop young people’s skills in composition and the ability to express their thoughts with clarity; and
* it also fosters the enjoyment of letter writing and helps strengthen the bonds of international friendship.
“Young people ought to be aware that it’s important to know that there is a world out there beyond our country — hence important to build such relationships or friendships,” she said.
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