Wanting to inculcate the love for writing among his students, English teacher Allen Jeyarajasingam thought why not open the essay writing competition to residential schools in the country as well.

So, Allen prepared the working paper and two weeks later eagerly presented his idea to the principal, Mohd Idrus Abd Hamid.

“He asked me, ‘why not take it a step further and make it an international competition?”

“It was a tall order,” Allen told FMT, adding that he was left somewhat stunned by the request as organising such competitions requires elaborate planning that could take up to a year.

“It wasn’t impossible, but it would be difficult.”

So, Allen hit the ground running, roping in teachers to design a website and brainstorm on possible themes.

He said the teachers initially considered themes revolving around patriotism and drug abuse, until they discovered that collaborating with the relevant agencies meant wading through loads of red tape.

But when he discovered that wildlife was among the themes the education ministry permitted, Allen, an environmentalist, pounced on it.

He contacted the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), who were keen to collaborate.

Word of mouth and the internet, he said, helped woo schools from around the globe to take part. And as they say, the rest is history.

Eleven years on, the competition is still going strong, much to Allen’s surprise.

“Initially, I thought we were small fry and would not be noticed.”

Since the competition kicked off in 2011, some 4,255 students from over 40 countries – including the US, Switzerland, Zimbabwe and the UK – have taken part.

English teacher Linda Karlina, who helped with coordinating the competition, said the contest has helped students improve their vocabulary and grammar.

And this is something she has noticed, especially when her students sit for exams.

“They are also more passionate about improving their English when they join the competition,” Linda, who has been teaching for 14 years, said.

Linda, who is Allen’s protege, said the competition has also taught students how to be resourceful while improving their research skills as well as developing a critical mind.

“And these are skills that will prepare them for the future.”

Anuar McAfee, who has been a judge for this competition for almost a decade, said it has helped raise awareness about conservation among the public.

And because participants have to explore the topic they write about, many have gained a more in-depth understanding about conservation.

McAfee, who teaches English at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), also says that when students learn about conservation in school, chances are high that they’ll develop an interest in it which will carry on into adulthood.

“Such competitions can be the catalyst to get them keen on conservation.”

McAfee, who has read almost 300 essays, says most of the pieces were well written and researched.

Comparing them against the work produced by some of his own students, McAfee said he was impressed with the calibre of the participants.

This year, the competition – co-organised with UniSZA – will focus on hornbills, a species on the endangered list and a bird that enjoys a strong symbolic connection to Malaysia.

“I hope the competition this time around shows how important this bird is to Malaysia.”

This year’s competition, which ends on May 31, has to date seen some 380 participants for both the junior and senior categories, although more are expected to join.

Students who are keen to submit their essays before the deadline may do so at https://asiskl.org/aiwc2021/