ALEXANDR Jeta, a learner at Abbotts College Johannesburg South, came in the top 100 in the recent De Beers English Olympiad competition which drew over 7 000 entries from around South Africa and its neighbouring countries.
The competition is organised jointly by the Grahamstown Foundation and the South African Council for English Education.
The primary objectives of the De Beers English Olympiad are: to enrich learners through the study of English, encouraging them to explore it beyond the scope of the school syllabus; to encourage critical thinking and creative writing while learners enjoy the challenges of preparing for and writing the examination; to promote the English language and stimulate the study of English among first and second English language speakers, and to proactively increase the participation of candidates in previously disadvantaged schools; and to provide access to these benefits for motivated learners unable to pay the entry fee, through the provision of bursaries.
The syllabus and examination questions offer stimulation not found within the school syllabus. They call for acute critical ability and sharp writing skills but they also seek to draw out creative thinking and writing – aptitudes so central to our humanness.
Many learners get too little opportunity for such self-expression in the normal school routine and are searching for a stimulus to this creativity. The syllabus and examination also cause learners to explore the relevance of literature to themselves and the world around them.
There was a total of 207 gold certificates awarded this year out of 6 347 candidates who wrote the exam (7 832 candidates entered). Of these 207 gold scripts, only the finest were selected for the Top 100. These candidates had given creative and unique answers for the exam that was not only written well but also well substantiated.
“We would like to congratulate Alexandr for achieving not only a Gold Certificate but also for being one of the Top 100. We are immensely proud of your work,” added the principal of Abbotts College Johannesburg South, Willem van Zyl.
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