A Christmas Tinto Primary School learner shone at the Metro East Education District spelling bee competition held at Northpine Primary School on Saturday 17 September.
The Grade six learner, Onke Qotyiwe (11), represented the school well as he beat most of his peers to take home second spot for the Asanda Village based school.
The competition, an initiative of the Department of Basic Education (DBE), forms part of the Read to Lead Campaign and promotes the love of reading through the promotion of reading clubs in schools, annually.
Spelling bee is a game or competition in which the participants compete in spelling words orally.
It targets learners in Grade four to six, with the hope of improving learners’ performance in languages.
This literature project also helps to boost learners vocabulary and reading. The contest starts at circuit level where local schools compete against one another before the victors progress to the district level. Winners then go on to compete at provincial and later national level.
Spelling coach Thandokazi Qotoyi said they were proud to have achieve this feat at the school after the disturbance brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is our first time to achieve this position after trying on numerous occasions before Covid-19 came. It is a great feeling as we did not expect it,” she said.
Qotoyi believes “commitment” from both the learners and teachers are the remedy of success. “It all starts in the classes. The sacrifices made, working relationship with teachers the parents assist a great deal in achieving such results,” said an excited Qotoyi.
A proud school principal Mphicothi Qantolo said what is encouraging the most is that the learner was able to hold his own against English medium schools in the competition.