Fifth edition of Spelling Bee contest launched

The fifth edition of Spelling Bee, a programme, which improves spelling and literacy and important life skills of pupils, has been launched in Accra on Friday.

The programme that seeks to help school children to become responsible and well-balanced adults would be televised from December 2011 to February next year.

More than 120 basic schools nation-wide are expected to compete for the enviable title of “The Spelling Bee 2012 Champion”.

The Spelling Bee, organised by Young Educators Foundation (YEF), is the local version of the internationally acclaimed “Scripps Spelling Bee”, based in the United States of America (USA), and Ghana continues to be the only African country eligible to participate in event.

Mr Stephen Adu, Acting Deputy Director General of Ghana Education Service (GES), launching the programme, lauded YEF for extending the contest to include all the 10 Regions in the country, saying it would afford the less-endowed schools an opportunity to exhibit their intellectual prowess.

He said the dwindling reading habits among school children needed to be arrested by educational authorities, schools, corporate organisations, international agencies, parents and guardians.

Mr Adu called on schools participating in the contest to include strategies learnt, and study materials used in the teaching of English Language.

“That Ghana is the only African country participating in the international version of The Spelling Bee (Scripps Spelling Bee in USA) says a lot about our educational system,” he noted.

Mrs Eugenia Tachie-Menson, Country Director of YEF, said as part of the programme, it had organised workshops on spelling techniques for teachers and pupils of participating schools to create a better understanding as well as equip them for the contest.

She said there would be regional competitions where three pupils would be selected from each participating school and brought to compete for the grand finale out of which the top three would be honoured.

Mrs Tachie-Menson said “The prize package for the top three includes GHc1,500, GHc1,200 and GHc1,000 savings accounts from ECOBANK Junior Saver Account.

The top prize is an all-expenses paid trip to USA to participate in the Scripps Spelling Bee competition in May, 2012, sponsored by title sponsor; Indomie Noodles”.

She catalogued the participating schools, saying “MTN Ghana Foundation is sponsoring 20 schools each from the Central, Volta and Upper East Regions, as well as joining the programme as a co-sponsor, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited is sponsoring 15 public schools in Brong Ahafo Region, Public Affairs Section of United States Embassy in Ghana is sponsoring 15 schools in Northern Region, DSTV is sponsoring 15 schools and Starkist Tuna additional 10 schools in Greater Accra Region, while a host of other institutions and individuals are sponsoring schools in Upper West, Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions”.

Mrs Tachie-Menson expressed appreciation to GES for appreciating the contest and the sponsors for their support that would help to “include every pupil whether in a public or private school, in a major city, town or village, in the contest”.

In solidarity messages, representatives of sponsors including Indomie Noodles, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, MTN Ghana Foundation, and Public Affairs Sections of US Embassy in Ghana pledged their continued support for the competition.

In another development, Mrs Paige Kimble, International Director of Scripps Spelling Bee, and a team would arrive in Ghana in February next year to witness the climax of the competition, as well as donate story books to some less-privileged schools in the country.

Ms Jessica Penu, Spelling Bee 2011 Champion gave an account of her experience at the Scripps Spelling Bee competition held in USA and said it had boosted her confidence level.