By: Emmanuel Mbowa
Freetown, 13th March 2026- The UBA Foundation, with support from UBA Sierra Leone, has officially launched the 2025/2026 National Essay Competition (NEC) in partnership with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education (MBSSE). This year’s topic is: “Gender-Based Violence in Schools: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions.”
To amplify this year’s impact, UBA Sierra Leone has teamed up with the Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy for Justice (ILRAJ) to make it bigger and better!
The writing competition is open to prospective senior secondary students across the country’s 16 districts. Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, noted that the platform will broaden students’ horizons by allowing them to think critically, research rigorously, and articulate their ideas with clarity and authority regarding a national problem.
”By researching this topic, you are becoming the storytellers for the light. You are breaking the silence,” he said. “Eradicating gender-based violence from our schools is a burden too heavy for the Ministry, UBA, and ILRAJ alone,” he noted. “It requires the collective grip of every stakeholder in this country to bind the evil and cast it out.”
The Minister further lauded UBA for investing in and supporting education, using the perspectives of schools and student writers to aid in bridging an age-old challenge facing Sierra Leone.
“To UBA, we applaud your collaboration. Your investment in this competition proves your corporate social responsibility is not just about providing a cheque; it is about providing services that directly benefit Sierra Leoneans,” he said, calling on other financial institutions to emulate UBA in addressing gender-based violence in schools and across the nation. “Your example has the potential to get other corporate organizations to join this fight.”
He concluded by commending ILRAJ for its tireless efforts in advocating for and researching justice-related matters, noting that the body remains instrumental in upholding the principles of the rule of law.
“To ILRAJ, you are the conscience that keeps us focused on justice.”
Ngene Chiedu, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for UBA Sierra Leone, reaffirmed their commitment to education and their support for the government and ILRAJ in eradicating gender-related crimes.
“Investing in young people remains one of the most meaningful ways we can contribute to Sierra Leone’s development and that of the African continent at large,” he said.
”Guided by this belief, the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition was introduced in 2020, aimed at promoting a reading culture and fostering healthy intellectual competition among students across Africa.”
Chiedu concluded by encouraging interested participants to express their ideas regarding this societal problem, which has garnered the attention of UBA and other stakeholders. “I encourage you to seize this opportunity wholeheartedly. Your ideas matter. Your voices matter. Through your writing, you can shape perspectives, influence conversations, and inspire positive change in our society.”
The UBA Foundation expects submissions until the end of April 2026. Cash prizes include Le 50,000 for first place, Le 30,000 for second place, and Le 20,000 for third place. The overall winner will also receive a university scholarship, generously sponsored by the UBA Foundation.
While thousands of students are eager to take home these significant packages, students present at the symbolic launch seemed energetic. They shared their expectations of winning with Truth Media, but emphasized that, most importantly, they are adding their voices to an issue that gravely affects education and their society.
