A dozen students from various secondary schools celebrated their achievements at the United Bank for Africa (UBA) National Essay Competition prize giveaway ceremony held on Friday.
The competition, organized by UBA Uganda and now in its second edition, is designed for senior secondary school students in Uganda, aiming to challenge their writing and cognitive skills on various engaging topics.
Distinguished judges overseeing the competition reported an impressive submission of over 700 essays from schools across Uganda, with students consistently demonstrating high standards of writing.
The top 12 students, selected from this pool of talent, were honoured at the Grand Finale of the competition, hosted at the UBA head offices in Kampala.
Mugisa Alvin from Princess Diana High School clinched the first place. In his acceptance speech, he revealed that this was his inaugural participation in a writing competition and expressed his gratitude to his parents, teachers, and fellow students for their guidance and support.
Akori Martha from Tororo Girls School and Tusiime Allan from Exodus College School secured the positions of first and second runners-up, respectively.
The remaining students in the top 12, recognized for their outstanding contributions, included Rukundo Maria Viola from Trinity College Nabbingo, John Mark Okalebo from St Mary’s College Kisubi, Musika Elisha David from Uganda MARTYRS SS Namugongo, Babirye Deborah Nabunya from Springfield High School, Wasabi Sydney from Mengo SS, Nyaketcho Victoria Michelle from Kisubi Mapeera, Trinity Iranezeeza from Asfiwe International Academy, and Mugisa Danielle from MM College Waraika.
Mugisa, the overall winner, was awarded a laptop, a cash prize of Shs3.5 million, and a certificate for his exceptional achievement. The first and second runners-up also received laptops and certificates to commemorate their accomplishments.
Chioma Mang, the Managing Director/CEO of UBA Uganda, commended the students for their courage and participation in the competition. She emphasized that every student who submitted an essay should take pride in their efforts and consider themselves winners. The competition not only recognized talent but also encouraged and celebrated the spirit of young writers across Uganda.