Mmasa Spelling Bee Winner
Lebogang Baingapi | Tuesday June 13, 2017 16:25
Mmasa, 14 demonstrated her skills last week to spell moderate to tough and difficult words to emerge the winner and scope a laptop for herself and five laptops for her school. The panel of judges had a difficult time to select the top three but finally Mmasa, Mafa Sebakiso from Morama Secondary and Lame Obopilwe from Maiteko secondary in Mabutsane made it to the top.
It was where Mmasa proved her brilliance by spelling the word cliché ” to beat her peers after a tough competition. She disclosed in an interview after being crowned the winner that she relied on the dictionary to learn new words and their meanings.
She acknowledged that the competition was tough, but she took her time to ask for the definition and the word to be used in a sentence to enhance her chances of winning the competition. Mmasa will join other winners from different regions to represent Botswana at the International competition in Kenya next month.
According to the founder of Spelling Bee Botswana, Tshepang Morebodi, the competition aims to empower students with spelling, pronunciation as well as grammar to help them improve their English language.
“The competition started rolling in 2012 with the help of the then Ministry of Education and Skills Development and the North West district was the first to stage the competition with 14 secondary schools. We then went to Kgalagadi region to host the competition. I am pleased to inform you that at Okavango region, our winner from Gumare Secondary went to represent Botswana internationally and she scooped position five,” explained Morebodi.
The area Member of Parliament Shawn Ntlhaile who also sponsored the competition with six laptops, said the competition acted as a platform to awaken professionalism in students. He noted that students of the 21st century are advanced in technology, adding that competitions such as spelling bee motivate students and inspire them to be the best.
He called on the stakeholders to support children to realise their dreams and motivate them to be the best version of themselves, to be exemplary to other students across the nation. He said they need the stakeholders to be committed and willing to go an extra mile.
“There is nothing better than to see a product of your own hands excelling. Why not start here with them? Let’s work together as parents and teachers to help our diamonds shine. I hope next year we will have primary schools participating to help them shine as well,” added Ntlhaile. The competition brought together Jwaneng schools: Kgosimpe and Morama Secondary, Molongwa Secondary from Khakhea as well Maiteko Secondary from Mabutsane.