KNUST Basic School Holds Maiden Spelling Bee Competition

As part of measures to address the increasing poor reading habits and bad spellings among learners, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Basic School has organised its maiden annual Spelling Bee Competition on 9th and 10th March 2022 at the Protestant Chapel, KNUST.

The maiden edition dubbed “I Read, I Spell, I Know” was aimed at promoting and encouraging pupils from kindergarten to primary six to study hard.

Mrs Nana Oye A. Woodiez, the Deputy Head of KNUST Primary indicated that the Basic School through the Quiz Committee collaborated with the Department of English to address the challenges mentioned above, through appropriate literacy programmes.

She explained that the strategy was to start with spellings and address challenges identified in the maiden event and progress to ‘Reading Clinics’, Reading and Literature Contests.’ ‘Since this is a maiden project, only Basic 4, 5, 6 and strategically, KG was targeted,’ she said.

Mrs Woodiez further revealed that adding KG2 to the competition was a way of instilling and promoting literacy and healthy competition in children at their early stages of development.

In her address, the Head of KNUST Basic School, Rev. Mrs. Irene O. Nkansah mentioned that the novel competition which has brought excitement and re-ignited the competitive spirit among students is highly commendable. She said that ‘spelling is an activity that defines us as individuals.’ To this end, she encouraged the pupils to practise their spelling frequently and actively participate in the competition to raise the standards higher for subsequent editions.

Check This Out: List of Public Vocational Schools in Ghana for the 2022 Academic Year

Rev. Mrs Nkansah expressed her gratitude to the sponsors, organising committee and teachers for their immense support in making the event a reality.

Dr. (Mrs.) Philomena Ama Okyeso Yeboah, Head of Department of English, KNUST noted that Spelling Bee is the bedrock in language to showcase correctness in the spelling of words and reflect the mastery in the way words used are being pronounced.

She added that the benefits of spelling bee go beyond pupils ‘ability to spell words correctly and pronounce confidently, they also acquire the needed skill to manage stage fright, communicate effectively and excel at public speaking.

Dr. Yeboah stated that the department was elated for the opportunity to collaborate with the KNUST Basic School.

She further said that the department is equipped with a state-of-the-art language laboratory that harnesses the use of technology in enhancing students’ ability to excel in phonology and phonetics.

Check This Out: List of TVET Competency-Based Training Programmes for the 2022 Academic Year

She promised to make the language laboratory available to tutors of the KNUST Nursery and Primary schools and contestants to sharpen their vocabulary. She urged the organisers to extend the competition to other schools within the Asokwa Metropolis.

Contestants took turns behind a microphone to munch words in English and other language origins. After three rounds of contesting, pupils from the KG2 Red section represented by Isaiah Vie Hiti Farham and Owusu- Anane Kwadwo Effah beat their mates with 33points.

Check This Out: Senior High and Technical Vocational Schools in the Ahafo Region 2022

Christabel Adwoa Kweonorki Glover and Salma Osaah Latif, representing Basic 4F; Emmanuel Kwame Boateng Akowuah and Felix Baffour Yaw Osei Addo, representing Basic 5E; while Kyria Ama Owusuah Adomako and Daniel Kwaku Gyimah representative of Basic 6F came out on top with 36, 31, and 32 points, respectively.

Certificate of participation, citations and medals were awarded to winners of the maiden spelling bee competition. The competition was sponsored by Pepsodent School Project, CEO Semanhyia Group of companies and Pokupharma Ghana Limited.

Check the SHS Grading System HERE

Download the 2022 basic and shs Academic Calendar HERE

Check This Out: JUST IN: Coalition of Concerned Teachers sacks acting President King Ali Awudu