BIC, a world leader in stationery, lighters, and shavers, recently concluded the fourth edition of its rebranded penmanship program. Previously known as ‘My Words, My Story, My BIC Pen’, the program has been revamped to incorporate creativity in line with the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) system that focuses on art and innovation. Recognized today as ‘Express Myself with My BIC Pen’, the program engaged with 14,950 students and 50 teachers.
While ‘My Words, My Story, My BIC Pen’ focused on cultivating cursive writing skills, ‘Express Myself with My BIC Pen’ encourages students to express themselves through writing and drawing. The initiative was created in response to a finding that poor handwriting often attracts a negative stigma, which can affect a child’s growth and development when expressing themselves, especially when they hit puberty.
Commenting on the success of the program, BIC’s Marketing Manager in East Africa, Salome Ngugi, said: “BIC’s commitment to improving learning conditions for students goes beyond just providing them with the necessary writing tools. We recognize the critical importance of addressing challenges including handwriting proficiency, which significantly impacts a child’s development process and are working within the communities in which we operate to play a significant role in that space. We are keen to help create an environment where students can thrive and unleash their full potential.”
Participating students expressed themselves by writing and drawing their stories. Students used the iconic BIC ballpoint pen in an effort to make them more comfortable as they transition from using pencils to pens. Winning students received a BIC pen license certificate testifying to their completion of the program. Winning schools also received donations of necessary writing tools to empower students and teachers in the classroom.
Stressing the importance of handwriting in a student’s learning journey, Head Teacher at Bidii Primary School, Mrs. Kanya said: “The new CBC system is characterized by the importance of students taking notes while in class. Express Myself with My BIC Pen instills confidence in students as they master the art of handwriting, ultimately helping them retain information; developing their cognitive abilities; and performing better.”
Participating student, Kelcy, expressed her gratitude for her BIC pen license saying: “I feel equipped to express my thoughts and concepts using a pen following the Express Myself with My BIC Pen training. I believe that my handwriting impacts how my teachers view my tests and projects when I submit them, and I feel confident that my handwriting can be easily read by anyone, especially after being used to pencils versus pens to express myself.”
A parent of one of the students was impressed by the confidence she saw in her child following the training. She said: “Celebrating my child’s participation in the training fills me with pride. Seeing their newfound confidence in expressing themselves through writing and drawing is truly remarkable.”
BIC’s ‘Express Myself with My BIC Pen’ initiative stems from the company’s commitment to improving learning conditions for 250M students by the year 2025 – as part of sustainable development program Writing the Future Together. To date, the program has impacted 14,950 students and 50 teachers.