WRITTEN BY KENECHUKWU CHUKWUDI
It was a test of brain, smartness and mastery of English Language as pupils and students numbering over three hundred converged on IDK Learning Center in Awka for the maiden edition of Spelling Bee Championship.
About twenty schools, comprising Junior Secondary and Primary schools as well as privately sponsored contestants took part in the championship.
The participating candidates were grouped into three different categories based on age, which includes: five to seven years, eight to eleven years and eleven to fifteen years.
At the end of the competition, Anyamelum Somkele, Peter- Mary Okechukwu and Agu Joshua came first in the three categories, winning gifts ranging from medals, trophies, school bags, Spelling Bee games, laptops and cash prizes.
Addressing the participants, Commissioner for Education, Professor Kate Omenugha, noted that the state government, through its policies and programmes, aims to encourage reading and learning among children at the basic school level, listing among such policies and programmes, the maiden edition of the State Book Festival and the twenty minutes silent reading time at school.
Mrs. Chinwe Nweke, who is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Consultant of IDK learning center, the organizer of the Spelling Bee championship, said the major aim was to instill reading consciousness in the young ones with a view to improving their vocabulary and communication skills.
Mrs. Nweke, who urged the state government to partner key stakeholders in the Education sector to improve and encourage learning at the basic school level, expressed the hope that the championship will be sustained; calling on government to support the championship by declaring a spelling bee week and making sure the competition starts at the local government level.
Some parents who spoke to the ABS including Damian Obinna, Nkeoma Okoye and a spelling game producer, Mr. Chike Azoro, noted that they allowed their wards to compete in the championship to expose them while gauging their learning abilities in English Language as a means of communication.
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