ECCB launches 2016 OECS Essay Competition

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has announced the launch of the 2016 OECS Essay Competition.

The OECS Essay Competition, which the ECCB has been hosting since 1996, is open to students in the ECCU countries aged 14 – 19. The competition is designed to encourage critical thinking among the students of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) and to motivate their engagement in discussions on issues that impact the development of the OECS countries.{{more}}

Students entering this year’s competition will be required to write on one of the following topics:

1. Heads of Government of OECS countries can serve as many terms in office as the electorate will allow. Should there be term limits for Heads of Governments in the OECS? Discuss.

2. With the rise in juvenile delinquency and anti-social behaviour among teenagers, parents who condone criminal acts committed by their children should be prosecuted. What are your views?

3. Financial management should be part of the secondary school curriculum to help equip students to make sound decisions in all aspects of their lives. Discuss.

The topics were selected from entries submitted by secondary school teachers across the ECCU.

The entries are judged in two categories: ages 14 to 16 and ages 17 to 19. The essays must be 750 to 1,000 words and must be typewritten and will be assessed for content, soundness of points, logical development, knowledge of the subject, command of language and presentation.

Cash prizes amounting to EC$10,000 will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners in each category, while grants amounting to EC$6,000 will be awarded to their respective schools. The schools with the most entries in the top 10 for each category will also receive a cash award of EC$500 each.

Since the inception of the competition in 1996, the ECCB has presented over EC$270,000 in awards and grants to the students and the corresponding schools.

The essays for the 2016 OECS Essay Competition must be submitted to the ECCB Headquarters or the Bank’s Agency Office in the respective member countries, no later than March 31, 2016.