The 2026 edition of the prestigious Junior Graphic National Essay Competition (JGNEC) aimed at sharpening the writing skills of children in basic schools across the country has been launched in Accra.
The much-anticipated contest, organised annually to give children a platform to unearth their reading and writing abilities as well as improve their vocabulary, was launched by the Director, Marketing and Sales of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL), Franklin Sowa, and the Editor, Junior Graphic, Hannah A. Amoah, with support from the sponsoring partners on the theme, “Raising champions using critical thinking and imaginative skills”.
In his remarks, Mr Sowa said the JGNEC, which had been held for many years, would continue to run due to the enormous value it brought to learners and the nation, and therefore urged children to see the contest as a platform to challenge them to learn, be creative and impact their generation.
This year’s contest is being sponsored by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advisory Unit, Cocoa Processing Company (CPC) – Golden Tree, Pepsodent, UNICEF Ghana, Papaye Fast Foods and Standard Water.
Accuracy
The Managing Director, GCGL, Ato Afful, in an address stated that the GCGL had gone through decades of producing accurate and truthful stories across the country.
“Through flipping of paper and scrolling to screens, this brand has been there. We have chronicled the development of the nation’s history; its stories of communities, educational standards, policies, among others.
He highlighted the instrumental role the team of editors, proofreaders and reporters at GCGL played on a daily basis by going through a process of fact-checking that fitted in moral standards, policies and national frameworks while maintaining the truthfulness and accuracy of contents published for readers.
“Any individual is able to publish whether they are right or wrong, no one is checking. The editor and his team cannot publish anything that misinforms and is inaccurate. That is why they rigorously ensure they are publishing the best information,” he said.
He also commended the award winners of last year’s contest, noting that their efforts, diligence and commitment paid off.
The Editor, Junior Graphic, Hannah Amoah, explained that the Junior Graphic had existed over the last 25 years, assisting children to improve their reading, spelling and writing skills through weekly exercises and competition such as the JGNEC.
Essay competition
She said the JGNEC, one of the numerous competitions championed by the paper, had boosted literacy and critical thinking skills of pupils and young students, particularly upper primary and junior high school (JHS) students, hence the need for all eligible students to participate in this year’s competition.
Mrs Amoah also appealed to organisations and institutions to partner or sponsor the competition to ensure its success.
The Chief of Advocacy and Communications of UNICEF Ghana, Fatima Mohammed Naib, expressed her excitement to partner Junior Graphic in this year’s contest, stating that the initiative was in line with UNICEF’s mandate to empower and support children to reach their full potentials.
She announced that the ultimate winner would be named the UNICEF youth advocate who would be empowered to champion advocacies on national issues such as water and sanitation, education, child protection, that affected the lives of children and become a voice on behalf of other Ghanaian children.
“Encouraging young people to express themselves through writing falls within the Convention of the Rights of a Child. For UNICEF, we saw it as a clear opportunity to support children. For the next year, the winner will be supported to techinically learn how to advocate, write, understand the challenges other children face and see the areas of their interests so that she can become an excellent youth advocate for children in Ghana,” she said.
Commendation
A representative of the SDGs Advisory Unit of the Office of the President, Eyram Agbemava, commended GCGL for championing the JGNEC and education on the SDGs over the years.
“Engaging children on the SDGs is far more than teaching them but helping them to be critical thinkers, imaginative and problem solvers. We are teaching them not just to ask simple questions but complex ones.
“When we integrate SDGs into early education, we are not asking them to shoulder the problems of the world but to build tools to tackle the problems in future,” she said.
The Communications Manager of COB-A Group of Companies Ltd, producers of Standard Water, Willam Oppong, applauded the Junior Graphic for inspiring young writers over the past decades as his outfit also marked its 30 years of constantly producing quality drinking water for all citizens.
He urged children to continue to think boldly and express themselves because their voices mattered.
For his part, the Client Relationship Officer of the Cocoa Processing Company, Justice Nyarko Anyormi, commended the awardees for a good job done.
Awards ceremony
The 10 children who emerged winners of the 2025 JGNEC were rewarded during the event.
The ultimate winner, Princess Enom Avoxe, a student of the Amrahia Community School, received GH¢3,000, a tablet, a certificate of participation and products from sponsors.
She would get the rare opportunity of becoming the youth advocate of UNICEF Ghana and the Junior Graphic Ambassador to champion the interest of children for a period of one year.
The second prize winner, Alberta Agbobli, a former student of St. Martin de Porres School, Dansoman, who currently attends Akosombo International School, Eastern Region, took home GH¢2,000, a certificate, a tablet and products from sponsors.
A student of Unique Child International School, Teshie, in Accra, Reginald Nana Ntow Owoo, who came third, received a cash prize of GH¢1,500, a tablet and products from sponsors.
The fourth to ninth-placed students received GH¢750 each, certificates and products from sponsors.
They were Unique Child International School’s Wylma Afi Nyarko Akyeansah, a student of the Vehem Nawunyo International School, Volta Region; Ciara Nyankonton and Nigel Asante Ababio, both learners of the St Mark Preparatory/JHS, Agege, in Accra.
The rest were Bomandi Preparatory School’s Puopelee Anbataayela Mornah, a learner of the Pentecost Preparatory School, Madina, in Accra; Eyram Aku Dzakpata and Emmanuel Dzampeh of the St Francis of Assisi JHS, Volta Region.
2026 contest
This year’s contest which aims at enhancing the students’ abilitiy to write compelling essays will be in two stages; the preliminary and final stages.
At the preliminary stage, three questions will be published in the Junior Graphic for eligible contestants to select one, answer and submit their entries.
The 50 students who will qualify for the final stage will be invited to take a test at the various offices of the GCGL across the country and 10 lucky winners will be selected after the final test.
Workshops will also be organised to equip students on the technicalities of writing good essays, enhance their creativity and thinking abilities in order to be able to participate in this year’s essay contest and also improve their academic work.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh