African Spelling Bee shifted to Kenya: Malawi in early preparations
The organizers of the 2nd Edition of the Continental African Spelling Bee Competition have confirmed that the Primary and Secondary School English Words Vocabulary Exhibition has been shifted from Addis Ababa Ehiopia to Mombasa in Kenya.
Malawi Spelling Bee Excutive Director and National Coordinator who is also African Spelling Bee-Co-Founder Lewis Mbaula confirmed the development with Nyasa Times.
Mbaula said the change is strictly based on security reasons following the civil unrest in the City of Addis Abba in Ethiopia and instead, the competition which goes into its second edition will now ne hosted in Mombasa, Kenya.
“The African Spelling Bee Competition that is slatted for July next year has been shifted to Mombasa Kenya from Addis Ababa following civil unrest,” said Mbaula.
Three finalists from each country Children that include Benin, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe are expected to participate.
Mbaula however revealed that preparations for the Continental Show Piece have already started for Malawi.
He said the Malawi National Spelling Bee which happens to be the Fifth Season on the local front have already taken shape.
The preliminary round for the National Spell Master Spelling Bee Season 5 for the Southern Region took to the stage last Saturday 26 November, 2016 at St Andrews International High School in the Commercial City of Blantyre.
“Over 200 schools going children from 35 schools in the Southern Region took part to the contest which for the first time featured eight visually impaired students in the battle for the search of the
best English spelling candidates to represent Southern Region at national finals and then represent Malawi at the African Spelling Bee Grand Finals” he said.
The preliminary round in the Junior Category had 132 Junior Spellers from various Primary Schools who competed in the morning and 85 Senior Spellers had their turn in the afternoon.
After three rounds of difficult English words spelling tussle, 78 learners in the Junior and 28 in the Senior Learners categories qualified for the National finals representing the Southern Region.
According to the Malawi Spelling Bee Executive Coordinator, in the senior category only five students of which three of them were girls spelt all their words correctly.
These are Niwaeli Mziya from Chichiri, Ria Fernandes from South End, Glory Store from Our Lady of Wisdom, Mervin Malindi from Baptist Academy and Craig Kamwendo from South End Secondary Schools.
Out of 132 Junior Spellers only 22 learners got all their words correct and among those that have qualified to represent Southern Regional at the National Spelling Bee Competition are 16 year old Grace Evason who is a visually impaired form one student at Blantyre Secondary School.
Mbaula said: “The expectation and excitement are so high and the competition is tough amongst students with the African Spelling Bee in their minds looking at the grand prizes glimmering ahead”.
The prizes are a whooping K1 Million for each of the top student from the Junior and Senior Categories sponsored by A1 Biscuits and Fattan Offset Printers.
The spelling bee goes to Lilongwe this weekend where students from 25 schools will battle it out.
The Spelling Bee is the desire to enhance the reading culture, build confidence, encourage public speaking, build vocabulary and give educational exposure to all Malawian children regardless of race, colour, status, religion, political affiliation or background and other differences according to the organizers.
“We believe in giving all children equal opportunities in order to build their characters and confidence. Spelling bees imparts the spirit of hard work and determination in children and gives them an opportunity to make new memories and friendships” said Mbaula who leads the Organizing Team.
The Spelling Bee Malawi is organized by Spell Master Education Communications (SMECO) in partnership with the Department of Inspectorate and advisory Services under the Ministry of Education Science and Technology.
It is organized with the broadcasting partnership with Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) that beams the contests.
Malawi failed to shine at the inaugural African Bee Competition hosted by South Africa from 13th to 16th July 2016 in Johannesburg-South Africa which attracted 27 contestants.
The grand prize for the African Spelling Bee Competition is a full Under-graduate Scholarship ponsored by Monash South Africa.
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