GQEBERHA – A Grade 9 learner from Motherwell has earned top honours in the prestigious Robben Island Essay Competition, beating finalists from across South Africa.
Sibabalwe January, a learner at Ncedo Senior Secondary School, was named the overall winner after representing the Eastern Cape in the national competition.
The Eastern Cape Department of Education congratulated Sibabalwe on his achievement, describing it as a reflection of his hard work, dedication and commitment to academic excellence.
According to the department, January distinguished himself among participants through his exceptional writing skills, critical thinking and deep understanding of the themes explored in the competition.
Eastern Cape Education Head of Department, Sharon Maasdorp, praised Sibabalwe for serving as an ambassador for his school, community, district and province.
“His success reflects the potential that exists within the learners of the Eastern Cape and demonstrates the positive outcomes that can be achieved through perseverance, discipline, and a passion for learning,” said Maasdorp.
She also called on the business sector to support educational initiatives aimed at empowering young people beyond the classroom.
Maasdorp acknowledged the role played by educators, school management, parents and the broader community in nurturing learner excellence.
“We are grateful and acknowledge the support provided by educators, school leadership, parents, and the broader community in nurturing and encouraging learner excellence. Such achievements reinforce the importance of creating enabling environments that empower young people to reach their full potential,” she said.
The competition featured finalists from across South Africa, with Sibabalwe presenting his essay on Sunday, 14 June. He went on to claim first place in the competition.
Sibabalwe’s class teacher, Thobani Fondini, who accompanied him to the competition, told PE Express that the learner’s passion for South African history, academic ability and willingness to support his classmates made him stand out.
“He always helps other learners with their classwork and thinks out of the box in terms of strategies that help others. He does well in his classwork — he is excellent,” said Fondini.
Fondini said Sibabalwe performed exceptionally well during the competition, including when responding to questions from the judges.
“I think he did very well, even when answering questions. There were difficult questions about recent events in the news and he answered them thoughtfully,” he said.
He added that Sibabalwe’s confidence in public speaking was another one of his strengths.
“He is very good at public speaking and has a way of boosting other learners’ confidence when it comes to speaking in public,” said Fondini.
The department said Sibabalwe’s achievement highlights the impact of a supportive learning environment and serves as an inspiration to other learners across the province.
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