CONTEST TOPICS

The Zimbabwean Constitution in Our Lives

The Zimbabwean Constitution is often called “the law of the land.” Many people question the meaning of parts of the Constitution and Supreme Court decisions often lead some to question the value and relevance of the Constitution today. Several recent Supreme Court decisions have led to many raise questions about the independence of the Court and have added to the political strife Zimbabwe faces.

How does the Constitution affect us on a day-to-day basis? Does it need to be amended? If yes, what amendments should be made? If no, what’s your argument for not amending it?

Write a 500-1,000-word essay about the meaning of the Zimbabwean Constitution in our country and in our lives.

You might want to look at Stossel's in the Classroom Consitution module to help you get started.

Inflation: Root Causes and Community Impact

Inflation has been in the headlines for the past few months. Prices of rent, food, gas, transportation, and other essentials have increased. Economic and government policy experts disagree about the causes of our current inflation.

Write a 500-1,000-word essay about inflation. Explain what inflation is, how inflation erodes purchasing power, who hurts the most from it, and what caused the inflation we currently face. If you have seen your family or community impacted, we encourage you to include personal examples that support your position.

You might want to look at two of Stossel Both Sides modules to help you get started:

• Both Sides: Stimulus & Inflation

• Both Sides: Inflation Revisited

Economics in the Wild

Economics isn’t just a subject taught in the classroom. It’s all around us, part of our daily lives. We can see economic concepts, such as supply/demand, scarcity, trade, opportunity cost, and others, at home, in laws passed and enforced by governments, and in innovations.

What economic activities do you see in your daily life? Document one or more real-life examples of economics in action and use those examples to illustrate economic concepts in an engaging and interesting way. How do the examples and concepts apply to your life?

Write a 500-1,000-word essay about economic activities and how they demonstrate or refute concepts you have been taught or have heard or read about in the news.

You might want to look at The Rise of Citizen Journalists to help you get started.

CONTEST RULES

All essays should specifically address one of the three Essay Topics listed above.

Eligibility – The contest is open to writers in grades 5- form 6, (ages 10-20) at some point during the contest period September 1, 2022-March 31, 2023. No more than one submission will be accepted for each essay writer. Writers must be located in Zimbabwe, and all submissions should be in English. Employees of Buhera Foundation, or any person or organisation involved in the operation and/or setup of the contest, and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest. 

Essay Length – Essays must be 500-1,000 words in length. Submissions that do not meet this requirement, or that exceed it, will be disqualified. If an essay exceeds the word limit due to a “Works cited” page or bibliography, it will not be disqualified. If an essay would not meet the word minimum without its “Works cited” page or bibliography, it will not be disqualified.

Deadline – Essays must be submitted no later than 11:59pm Central African Time, March 31, 2023.

Plagiarism – All essays must be the original work of the student whose name is listed on the submission form. Plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.

Judges – Essays will be judged on their ability to answer the topic question in an articulate, clear, and organised manner. Buhera Foundation will evaluate essay submissions in a fair and unbiased four-round judging system, in which judges all use the same criteria. Judges will be selected by Buhera Foundation based on their backgrounds and expertise in education, writing, and the subject matter. Decisions of the judges are final.

Ownership and Use – The ownership of any submission remains the property of the writer, but entry into the competition constitutes the entrant’s permission and consent, without compensation, with or without attribution, for Buhera Foundation to use, reproduce, transmit, post, distribute, adapt, edit, and/or display the submission.

TIPS FOR ESSAY WRITERS

• Proofread your essay before it’s submitted. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar count.
• Be mindful of the 500-1,000 word requirement.
• Be original. To win the top prize, your essay needs to stand out among thousands.
• Cite your sources and check your facts.

If you have any questions about our contests, please email us at buherafoundation@gmail.com.

We look forward to reading your essay. Good luck!