Introduction
The Kigali Public Library Annual Writing Competition is an inclusive competition launched in 2021 to engage both public and private schools in Rwanda. This competition targets students in primary, as well as secondary schools.
The primary aim of this competition is to enhance creative writing skills among students in Rwanda while raising awareness about different issues faced by our society. Each year, students are given a specific topic to write about, which is intended to educate and inform the community about important matters.
By participating in this competition, students in schools in Rwanda have the opportunity to become published authors and promote inclusive reading and writing practices among their peers. This initiative is particularly important in fostering a culture of literacy and creativity among the youth in Rwanda.
Objective
The objective of Kigali Public Library's annual writing season four is to promote language proficiency in English, Kinyarwanda, and French among Rwandan communities, particularly students, through engagement in various writing categories.
Themes
The central focus of our competition revolves around "Technology and Innovation".
What is Technology and Innovation?
Technology: Technology refers to the tools, systems, methods, and devices that are created or used to solve problems, improve efficiency, or make tasks easier. It involves the application of scientific knowledge to create practical solutions in various fields like education, agriculture, communication, healthcare, transportation, and entertainment. Examples include computers, smartphones, software, and medical devices.
Innovation: Innovation is the process of creating new ideas, products, or methods or improving existing ones to solve problems or meet needs in a better way. It is about creativity and change that brings value, whether through groundbreaking inventions or by refining existing solutions. Examples include renewable energy technologies, digital payment systems, or advancements in artificial intelligence.
When combined, technology and innovation drive progress by transforming industries, improving lives, and addressing global challenges in creative and impactful ways.
Topics
Lower Primary
Tell a Story About a Day Technology Helped Your Family. (Share relatable experiences, such as radio, mobile phones, or solar lights.)
Upper Primary
Technology in My Classroom: Write about how technology is used in your school and how it makes learning easier or harder.
Ordinary Level
Imagine everyone in Rwanda having internet access—what would change, and what challenges might arise?
Advanced Level
Innovation in Africa: How can African countries leverage technology to drive economic growth and social development?
Writing Criteria
Submission must conform to the conditions below:
Application
All talents must fill the required information on the application form both soft and hard.
Writing Style
Talents must demonstrate effective integration of writing principles, rules, and best practice guidelines for writing. Allowed writing Types will be
Languages
Kinyarwanda, English, and French
Document Guidelines
Documents will be received into both physical and digital formats.
-
Digitally submitted copies should not reveall any information about the talent,
as that information would have been submitted during the first 2 submission steps Hard copies
MUST contain the information below on first page:
Section 1: Personal Information
- Full names
- Residence District
- Gender
- Date of Birth
- Parent/Guardian Phone Number
- Parent/Guardian Email (Optional)
Section 2: School Information
- School Name
- District
- Sector
- Cell
- Village
- Phone
- Email (optional)
- Class Level
Section 3: Submission
- Category Topic
- Language
SOFT DOCUMENTS:
- PDF or Word
- Times New Roman
- Font size 12
- Line and Paragraph Spacing 1.5
HARD DOCUMENTS:
- Must be written in clear readable handwriting or typed
Composition Limitations
All documents must have 500 words maximum per page.
- Lower Primary: 100 - 250 words maximum
- Upper Primary: 200- 500 words maximum
- Ordinary Level: 500 – 1000 words maximum
- Advanced Level: 750 – 1500 words maximum
TALENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
-
Visual Impairment: All documents should be written in braille or audio of 10 minutes maximum.
-
Speech and Hearing Impairment: All talents must submit their work in the video for 10 minute maximum.
-
Mental Impairment: All talents must submit their work in a painting format, and they should consult with the KPL staff if they have other formats to use.
All talents with impairment MUST submit a one-page document containing personal and school information as per the guidelines.
Timeline
Stage 1:
Registration and Submission - 13th Jan 2025 to 21st March 2025
Stage 2:
Evaluation – 5th to 18th April 2025
Stage 4:
Workshops and Interview [Final] – 3rd th to 4th May 2025
Stage 5:
Awarding ceremony – 17th May 2025
