The DIB Movement has opened its 2026 National School Essay Competition, inviting primary and secondary school students across Sierra Leone to propose solutions to political division, tribalism and ethnic polarisation.
The competition is being held under the theme, “Love Over Hate: The Gateway to National Development,” and aims to encourage young people to explore how unity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence can contribute to national progress.
According to the organisers’ promotional materials, the initiative seeks to address concerns about divisive politics and ethnic tensions, which they identify as obstacles to national cohesion and development. Students are expected to submit essays examining these challenges and proposing practical solutions to promote peace and inclusive development.
The competition offers cash prizes for winners in two categories: primary and secondary school students.
In the primary school category, the first-place winner will receive NLe 25,000, while the second- and third-place winners will receive NLe 15,000 and NLe 10,000, respectively.
For secondary school students, the first-place winner will receive NLe 40,000, followed by NLe 25,000 for second place and NLe 15,000 for third place. All winners will also receive Certificates of Excellence and special recognition from the DIB Movement.
Under the submission guidelines, essays must be submitted in PDF or Word format and must not exceed 5,000 words. Each entry should include a problem statement, introduction, proposed solutions and conclusion.
Participants are also required to provide their full names, school names, classes and contact numbers. The organisers said submissions would be screened to determine whether they were generated by artificial intelligence.
The competition is open to students currently enrolled in primary and secondary schools across Sierra Leone.
Interested participants must email their essays to loveoverhatesl@gmail.com by Friday, December 18, 2026. Further information is available by calling +232 73284979.
Through the initiative, the DIB Movement hopes to encourage young Sierra Leoneans to develop constructive ideas for overcoming divisions and strengthening national unity.
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