The purpose of this competition is to get young scholars involved in the discussions on African governance. As future leaders, young scholars are encouraged to think about the challenges of “representation,” as well as ways and means of generating financial resources for governance for when they would have been entrusted with the responsibility to lead the nation.
The MAAT Group is concerned primarily with the issue of governance, fashioned after the core set of values that are deeply rooted in African culture and history, but somehow not evident in the dominant discourse(s) on governance.
AS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE 50TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, DR. CECIL BLAKE IS SPONSORING THROUGH the MAAT GROUP FOR THE STUDY OF AFRICAN GOVERNANCE (MAGSAG).
The launching of an essay writing competition for final year secondary school students and final year university students.
On the topics
“Representation and Governance in Africa: An African based option or borrowed options?” (For final year university students)
“How I would generate financial resources to govern Sierra Leone as president of the republic of Sierra Leone.” (For final year secondary school students).
1ST PRICE: Le.500, 000.00;
2ND PRICE: Le. 300,000.00;
3RD PRICE: Le. 200,000.00
The purpose of this competition is to get young scholars involved in the discussions on African governance. As future leaders, young scholars are encouraged to think about the challenges of “representation,” as well as ways and means of generating financial resources for governance for when they would have been entrusted with the responsibility to lead the nation.
The MAAT Group is concerned primarily with the issue of governance, fashioned after the core set of values that are deeply rooted in African culture and history, but somehow not evident in the dominant discourse(s) on governance.
Guidelines: competitors will write a one thousands word essay (secondary school students); two thousand words essay (final year university students); double spaced, 12 point fonts, Times Roman on the given topics above respectively.
A cover page with name, name of institution, age, contact telephone number, institution id number and course of study (for university students) is required. Secondary school students should also have a cover page with the same information.
The essays should have:
(A) A clear thesis statement–after a brief introduction/ background.
(B) Clear set of sub-topics that will be developed in the body of the essay
(C) Clear transitions to ensure coherence as the writer moves from one sub-topic to the other.
(D) Clearly developed arguments in support of the writer’s choice of representation (university students), or methods to generate financial resources to govern (secondary school students), supported by evidence in the form of examples etc.
(E) Presentation of advantages and disadvantages of the writer’s choice or methods respectively.
(F) Conclusion
Correct syntax and style are expected.
A blind review, assessment and determination of the winners will be carried out by a review committee. Each essay will be given a number. The names of the essay writers will not be seen by the review committee.
Closing date: submit all essays no later than April 15, 2011, to the following address:
Department of Political Science,
ATTN: MAAT ESSAY COMPETITION
5th Floor Kennedy Building
Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone
Mount Aureol, Freetown
Telephone contact: 077-804-119