The Department of Education is proud to announce that the Inkal Oral History Provincial Rounds, are taking place today in Palm Swift, Brits. This prestigious competition aims to promote historical knowledge, creativity, and critical thinking among learners in the Province.
The competition features two categories: Category A: Young Historians and Category B. The Young Historians category consists of Grade 8 to 11 learners, including a Grade 11 learner who will be presenting on the G20. This category also includes a learner from a special school and an educator. Category B features learners who will be participating in letter writing, storytelling, story writing, and poetry in both African and Western styles. A learner from a special school will be presenting an African poetry.
Notably, learners from special schools who participate in the competition have varying degrees of intellectual disability, ranging from severe to mild. Despite these challenges, they have demonstrated remarkable talent and dedication to the subject matter.
CES: School Enrichment Programs Mr Raymond Mofolo highlighted that the topics assigned to the learners are all related to the school curriculum, ensuring that the competition is both relevant and meaningful. He adds that the competition aims to develop essential skills such as interpersonal skills, presentation skills, creativity, and time management among the learners.
A panel of expert adjudicators will be evaluating the learners’ performances. The adjudicators include curriculum specialists, subject advisers, official from the Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, and a lecturer from the North West University. The winners of the provincial rounds that will be announced at a later stage will proceed to the national rounds, in the Eastern Cape from August 20 to August 24, 2025.
The competition is supported by officials from the North West Department of Education, including the HIV and AIDS unit, Farm and Rural School Unit, and Teacher Development Services director Masego Senna. A notable guest is a teacher who has produced national winners in previous years, and she will be sharing good practices with the participants.
The Department of Education is confident that the Inkal Oral History Competition will inspire learners to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of history, while also promoting critical thinking, creativity, and effective communication skills.
