UniFiji’s poetry competition awards top students with cash prizes and certificates

From 156 entries for the University of Fiji’s Original Poetry Composition/ Recital Competition Day 2024, 6 students have won cash prizes, gift hampers and certificates.

In the senior category, Pauliasi Sokia from Drasa Secondary School took the first prize, Natabua High School’s Elijah Gibson came in second while, Shruti Pratap from Votualevu College won the third prize.

For the junior category, Sahana Prasad from Votualevu College won first prize, Tavua-based Balata High School’s Arieta Nadumu came in second while Swami Vivekananda College’s Aditi Singh won third prize.

Head of the Education Department, Associate Professor Dr Wahab Ali says the aim of this competition is to revive the interest of students in English forms of language and genres like novels, short stories, drama, and poetry.

He says it is hoped that this competition will instil love and appreciation of poetry as a powerful learning tool, helping students improve their literacy.

Dr Ali says it can also allow writers to express their emotions and allow readers to connect to those sentiments.

Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem says this initiative is one way of fostering and forging close ties with the secondary schools in the Western Division, which make up the largest percentage of the student intake every year.

Professor Shameem says the Language, Literature and Communications Department is promoting a culture of reading and writing among the children and this competition will provide the students in the Western Division an opportunity to engage in composing and reciting original poems.