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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau

Six secondary and primary rural schools across the country are set to win textbooks worth thousands of United States dollars should their learners win an agriculture insurance awareness essay.

The competition, which started on November 4, will end on the 17th of this month and price giving will be on November 20, this year.

The first winner walks away with US$1 000 tuition, textbooks worth USD10,000 for his or her school and textbooks worth USD4,000 for the primary school of his/her choice.

The second price is US$800 tuition, textbook worth US$7 500 for his/her schools and primary school of choice US$3 500.

Third prize is US$600 tuition, books worth US$5 000 for his/her school and textbooks worth US$2 500 for a primary school of choice.

At provincial level 10 learners will get US$250, US$150 for the second 10 learners and US$100 for the last group of 10.

These competitions are being run by the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ) in conjunction with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

ICZ marketing and public relations manager Ms Ringisai Batiya said the competition is also part of the ICZ’s strategic corporate social responsibility that seeks to empower communities through initiatives that leave a long-term footprint and contribute to the national development programmes.

“Marking of the essay will be done by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the competition will alleviate the shortage of textbooks in six rural schools as well as provide school fees to 13 students across the country.

“This competition is aimed at educating and raising awareness on the use and benefits of insurance by the rural community. On behalf of the short-term insurance sector, ICZ’s objective is to empower the country’s young population with insurance knowledge and appreciation of benefits.

“The rural students are part of the approximately 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s rural population that depends on agriculture activities from subsistence to commercial level.”

She said the country’s economy continues to be agro-based providing about 70 percent of the manufacturing industry’s raw materials.

Ms Batiya said the young population is the future of the country and should be equipped with insurance and risk management knowledge as they are being encouraged to become entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector.

“The students will grow up and contribute to the national economy with the use and benefits of insurance inculcated in them as a security tool that will protect their agriculture activities as well as ensure continuity of activities in the event of an insured disaster occur,” she said.

“ICZ has also identified school children as another valuable channel for information dissemination to their parents who earn a living through farming, hence the competition will raise insurance awareness among the rural communities.

“In line with its objective, ICZ reconstructed the Rutengeni Primary and Secondary schools in Chipinge that were destroyed during the Cyclone Idai disaster.”

The schools benefited from the construction of four classrooms, two ablution blocks and an administration block.