FRANCIS S NII
THE Simbu Writers Association along with Ku High School is gearing up to celebrate National Literacy Day on Monday 8 September when the two entities will host a number of activities involving the province’s 18 upper and lower secondary schools.
The celebrations include a literary competition for Grades 9 - 12 and will run for two weeks leading to the main events at Ku High School.
There will be three categories in the competition: essay, short story and poetry. Each school will submit its five best entries in each category and prizes will be awarded for the top two entries in each category.
The main activities of the day will include an open air public debate and quiz and public oratory contests.
The top two winning schools in each section will be awarded prizes, mainly books.
Authors can sponsor awards by donating two copies of their books. Other people who wish to sponsor prizes can donate cash and we will buy books and present them as prizes.
All awards will be named after the sponsor and will be recorded in the history book of Simbu Writers Association.
All the entries for the literary competition will be kept and later submitted to the 2015 Crocodile Prize literary awards as entries under the respective author’s name.
Any person who wishes to sponsor prizes can contact Jimmy Drekore at simbuchildrenfoundation@gmail.com or Francis Nii at francisnii23@gmail.com.
Dignitaries at the event will include Dr Jane Awi of the University of Goroka, one of the promoters of PNG literature through writings on PNG Attitude, the home of the Crocodile Prize.
There will also be a Crocodile Prize and Simbu Children Foundation awareness program as well as book promotion and the day will be flavoured and kept alive with an entertainment show.
This will be Simbu Writers Association’s biggest maiden event in its drive to promote literature and literacy in Simbu since its inception two months ago.
It will be a big and good experience for the Association.