Young Educators Foundation, the Non-governmental Organisation responsible for The Spelling Bee, Ghana, yesterday [Tuesday] launched the 11th edition of the annual competition.
The theme for this year’s Bee is ‘The relevance of the mother tongue in literacy’.
The event, which took place at the Osu Presbyterian Church Hall, brought together different people from all walks of life, including students from schools participating in the competition this year.
In her address, the Country Director of YEF, Eugenia Tachie-Menson lamented the lack of support for the initiative, citing it as the major stumbling block to the progress of the championship.
“The past ten years have not been rosy… The basic challenge we’ve had is the lack of understanding; a lack of appreciation for what it is we’re trying to do. In Ghana, when we say you’re learning, it typically should happen in a classroom and at the end of the day, you must have a certificate to show that you’ve been through learning,” she said.
“So when we approach schools and we say The Spelling Bee is a learning process where we’re teaching English but not as you know it but in a more effective way, we’re asked, ‘Do you have a certificate at the end of it?’ We’ve been told that on the WAEC list of nine subjects for BECE, spelling is not one and therefore it can not be seen as a serious subject,” she added.
In his address, the Dean of the Faculty of Language Education at the University of Education, Winneba, Dr Charles Owu-Ewie pushed for the mainstream learning of Ghanaian local languages in basic and senior high schools.
The second lady, Samira Bawumia, who officially launched the 11th edition of The Spelling Bee, Ghana reiterated the importance of reading for children especially.
“As an advocate for reading, I strongly believe that the more you read, the more you know; and the more you know, the more places you will go. … I’m happy that The Spelling Bee has inspired the reading culture amongst children,” she said.
She further lauded the Young Educators Foundation for the work it has done over the past ten years.
“We have made history twice at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. First, as the first and only African country to participate in the international competition with Maria Isabel Kubabom; and second with the phenomenal Afua Ansah, winner of the Spelling Bee in 2016, being the only African finalist in its ninety years existence. These are just a few of what the Young Educators Foundation has been able to achieve over the period as I commend you immensely,” she added.
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By: Akosua Ofewaa Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana