Every year, the PYO Essay Competition invites secondary school students across Osun State to think critically and write boldly about issues shaping their lives, their families and their communities.
Now in its third edition, the competition has grown from a pilot in Ife East Local Government (2024) to a statewide competition across Osun State (2025), and returns in 2026 with a theme of global significance.
The competition is endorsed by the Osun State Ministry of Education and graded by a panel of qualified language examiners.
"The role of young people in global peace"
Junior: The Role of Young People in Promoting Peace in Their Communities
Senior: Young People as Agents of Peace: Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st Century
📅 Submissions open: 1 October 2026
📅 Submission deadline: 28 February 2027
📅 Results release: 1 April 2027
📅 Prize-giving ceremony: May 2027
The competition is open to students in JSS 2, JSS 3, SSS 2 and SSS 3 in public and private secondary schools in Osun State. One submission per student. Multiple entries from the same student will be disqualified.
Students compete in one of two categories based on their school level:
JSS 2 & JSS 3
500 word limit
SSS 2 & SSS 3
750 word limit
Dark ink, ruled paper, clear margins on both sides. Include your name, school and contact details on the first page. Stick to the word limit for your category (500 words / 750 words).
Use a scanning app (Adobe Scan, Microsoft Lens, Google Drive scanner) in grayscale mode. Save as a single PDF. Maximum 8 MB.
School ID card, birth certificate or government-issued ID. Save as PDF or PNG. Maximum 5 MB.
Enter your details and upload both files here →
Once assessment is completed, you will be notified via the email you provide of your score and whether you have won any of the prizes.
Prizes are paid by direct bank transfer to winners.
See past winners → See our impact →Essays must be entirely the student's own work, written by hand. Entries found to involve AI assistance, teacher assistance or any other form of outside help will be disqualified. Submitting more than once will also result in disqualification.
Enter the 2026 competition →