The Primary Curriculum Management Directorate (PCMD) together with the Senior Curriculum Management Directorate (SCMD conducted the annual Provincial eliminations for Inkosi Albert Luthuli Oral History Project for Grade 6 -11 learners across the Eastern Cape province.

The Department of Basic Education Directorates: Social Cohesion and Curriculum Quality Implementation, in collaboration with Provincial Social Sciences and History Coordinators, develop themes and topics to be discussed and presented by different grades (Grade 6 -11) and Social Sciences /History educators to the panel of adjudicators.

The learners compete in different categories at district level and the district winners go to the province for provincial eliminations.

Learners compete for positions 1-3 in the different categories and the learner that obtains 1st position place then represents the province at National level. There were 112 learners that participated in the in the Provincial eliminations competition, competing in the following categories: Story Telling, Letter Writing, Western Poetry, Traditional Poetry, Story Writing, and Young Historian.

Primary Curriculum Management DCES for Social Sciences, Lulama Kenene, said that Inkosi Abert Luthuli Oral History Project is intended to support the teaching and learning process for Social Sciences especially the History Research Project which is one of History Formal Assessment Tasks administered both in the GET and FET schools.

”This Project further rekindles the love for History as a subject of choice in schools and encourages learners to pursue History related careers.

Lastly, it supports the ECDOE 2022 -2030 Reading Strategy by allowing learners to express their views and feelings through writing, poetry recitation and also oral presentation,” said Kenene

Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Assistant Director, Museums and Heritage Directorate, Arts and Culture Branch, Mark Mandita, said that through the programme, Young Historians are being prepared to engage in rational discourse on a plethora of thematic issues affecting the nation and South Africa.

“This is a grid platform to invest into in order to develop young thought leaders, ethical public servants of the future, ambassadors, politicians and brand ambassadors.

All winning participants should be nurtured year after year till tertiary level for talent to be preserved this. Such investment requires support, financial injection and ensuring that role players are enthused to keep the project running at all times, added Mandita.

Grade 11 learner from King Edward High School in Matatiile, Faith Ndawute, competed in the Young Historians category and won first place position, said that she did not expect to make it to nationals as the competition was tough.

“It was hard, as this category requires much research and good presentation skills but through preparations I made it. I’m proud of every one of us who made it this far.

I had the opportunity to also listen to other contestant’s presentation and I was very inspired and learnt so much from other learners.

I hope that learners that did not make the top 3 will not be discouraged and try again next year,” concluded Ndawute.