1. Overview:
Consul General Tang Zhongdong and the Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg are proud to announce the launch of the #DrivingEducationCulture Essay writing competition, inviting matriculants in Gauteng and the Free Stateto submit essays between 1 000 and 1 200 words discussing the essay topic:
“What Solutions Can Education and Cultural Exchanges Bring to Strengthen Ties between China and South Africa?”
The launch of the essay writing competition marks the second annual project under #DrivingEducationCulture - which is the Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg’s campaign to deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and South Africa – specifically focusing on investing in education and the youth. The campaign was initially launched in 2021 with a R100 000 stationery donation to Kholwani Primary School in Soweto which featured South African education activist and sister of Hector Pieterson, Antoinette Sithole, as an ambassador.
On the exciting launch of this year’s #DrivingEducationCulture campaign, Consul General Tang Zhongdong says, “This essay writing competition gives high schoollearners in South Africa a chance to demonstrate the depth of their critical thinking skills, creative ideas and written communication on the topic of education in celebration of Youth Month. I look forward to seeing how much talent comes through this initiative.”
The deadline for entries is 23:59, 10 June2022. Entrants stand a chance to win R100 000 in cash prizes, with the top three winners getting the opportunity to meet the Consul General Tang Zhongdong and to experience Chinese culture first hand.
2. Eligibility:
Matriculants registered and attending high schools in South Africa from Gauteng and Free State provinces are welcome to participate in the competition. No other learners from other provinces will be considered.
3. Essay Topic:
What Solutions Can Education and Cultural Exchanges Bring to Strengthen Ties between China and South Africa?
4. Topic Theme:
The theme of the essay competition is derived from the campaign messaging ‘Driving Education Culture’. Possible points to raise within the essay may include, but are not limited to:
·The value of education in the lives of young South Africans;
·An entrant’s personal reflection and analysis of their own education journey;
·The opportunities to experience other cultures, traditions, customs, beliefs, societies, languages through cultural exchange; and
·Highlighting trust, understanding and mutually beneficial relationships as a result of positive ties between China and South Africa.
5. Technical and Submission Guidelines:
To this end, the Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg is calling for submissions of essay entries from matriculants attending a high school in the Gauteng and Free State provinces. The wording of the essay should aim to address the topic and align itself with continuing to “Drive Education Culture”.
All entries should be typed and submitted in electronic version, particularly, Microsoft Word document format. All essays entering the competition should be in English. All submissions must be accompanied with a cover letter which should contain full contact details of the entrant, including physical address, telephone and email address, contact details for the High School the matriculant attends and that of the entrant’s parent or guardian.
The essay must be entirely the work of the entrant. The entry must be original and must not previously have been published in any form or manner. Any entry that is to the contrary will be disqualified.
Note: The essay should be between 1000 and 1200 words. The deadline for submission of entries to the Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg is 23:59, 10 June 2022.
Essay submissions must be sent to essays@drivingeducationculture.co.za
6. Marking Guidelines
The set of questions below are meant to guide entrants when responding to the essay topic above. In answering the topic, school learners should ensure that they address the questions listed below in their essays;
·From your understanding, what is the value of holistic education in the lives of young South Africans, highlighting more than just learning in the classroom but also the love for reading, critical thinking and remaining curious and inquisitive? (250 - 300 words, 25 points)
·Discuss in length the skill sets they’ve learned from their education journey. (250 - 300 words, 25 points)
·Noting targeted solutions that arise from successful cultural exchanges between China and South Africa. (250 - 300 words, 25 points)
·Noting tangible results of China and South Africa having and maintaining a positive and favourable ties. (250 - 300 words, 25 points)
Entrants are expected to demonstrate originality in their essays. A fresh perspective.
7. Other overall judging criteria:
·Originality: Unique in its genre or create something entirely new, exciting, original material that stands out from the pack:
·Communication: Showing positive messaging of the region, with brilliance, creativity and imagination in use of words.
·The brief: The essay type, subject and content focus, word limit and any other set requirements, conformity to the guidelines.
·Use of sources: Analysis of sources used in the construction of your essay. A good start would be the work that has been done by the Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg.
·Style and presentation - This is how one manages to package their content, e.g. such as spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence construction, etc.
8. Rules of the competition
·The sponsor of the prize, the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Johannesburg, reserves the right to submit the winning essays for possible publication and to feature them on the official website, social media platforms etc.
·Individually authored essays only. No co-authored essay will be accepted.
·Plagiarised material will be disqualified from the competition and reported to the entrant’s school.
·The competition allows 1 (one) entry per matriculant / entrant.
·The decision of the judges is final.
9. Prizes:
Winners of the essay writing competition will share the overall prize of R100 000 in cash.
The learner who is placed first/overall best essay will win R30 000 towards themselves and their high school, whereby from the R30 000 cash prize winning, 10% being R3 000, will be paid to the learner and the remaining R27 000 will be allocated to the high school.
The learner who is placed in second / overall second best essay will win R20 000 towards themselves and their high school, whereby from the R20 000 cash prize winning, 10% being R2 000, will be paid to the learner and the remaining R18 000 will be allocated to the high school.
The learner who is placed in third / overall third best essay will win R10 000 towards themselves and their high school, whereby from the R10 000 cash prize winning, 10% being R1 000, will be paid to the learner and the remaining R9 000 will be allocated to the high school.
R40 000 from the overall R100 000 will be dedicated to awarding 50 individual learners with R800 each.
The winnings will be paid directly to the respective winners.
For more information, learners can email info@drivingeducationculture.co.za
OR
Follow #Drivingeducationculture on all your social media platforms.