EducationSOCIAL DEV'T NEWS

Oye Foundation Holds Reading and Spelling Competition for Schools in Shai Osudoku

The Oye Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization, based in Accra has organized an Inter-schools Reading and Spelling competition for four public schools at the Kasunya R/C Basic School in the Shai-Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region.

The participating schools included Kasunya D/A Basic, Nyapienya D/A, Lubuse R/C and the Kasunya R/C.

The participants in the competition were from the classes 4, 5 and 6 with the representatives from all the four classes having the opportunity to spell and undertake reading competitions.

As part of the competition, the students spelt words and read texts from their respective class text books.

Winners of the contest were selected on credentials of accurately spelling words as well as punctuation, summary and articulation in their reading.

The overall winners in the class three competition were the Kasunya D/A Basic school while Nyapienya D/A, Lubuse R/C and the Kasunya R/C came 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively.

At the class 4 stage, Nyapienya D/A took the first position with Kasunya R/C, Kasunya D/A, Lubuse R/C came 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively.

At the class 5 stage, Kasunya D/A took the first position with Kasunya R/C, Lubuse D/A, and Nyapienya D/A taking the 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions.

Lubuse R/C won the class 6 competition while Nyapienya D/A, Kasunya D/A and Kasunya R/C took the 2nd, 3rd and 4th position.

Each representative of the winning schools received a cash price of Ghc 1000 and a school bag.

Additionally, the most fluent student category was awarded to a class three pupil who received an oxford dictionary as prize.

The Kasunya D/A School by virtue of its performance on the day received a Golden Cup for winning the ultimate prize of the overall best school.

                      Winners of the competition receiving their school bags

Executive Director of the Oye foundation, Ms Abigail Anani while addressing the gathering at the event explained that the purpose of the ‘Inter Schools Reading and Spelling Competition’ is to assess work done on students for the whole academic year and award best performing students to serve as motivation to others in the community.

Ms Abigail Anani who was optimistic of the extension of the program to other schools in the next academic year said this is to help improve literacy development in the schools and improve upon the reading abilities of children.

                   Ms Abigail Anani, Executive Director of the Oye Foundation

“The aim of the foundation is to help improve upon literacy development in the schools and enhance the reading skills of the children,” she stated.

She added that the selection of participating schools was based on a baseline study targeted at unearthing and improving upon the needs of children.

The results of the study, she indicated pointed to reading and spelling challenges encountered by the children.

“Before the program started, a baseline study was carried in the area to help know the real needs of the children which findings indicated that though teachers are doing their best, students are challenged with the ability to read and spell.

“This situation called for the selection of the Kasunya R/C Basic school, Kasunya D/A Basic school, Lubuse R/C and Nyapeinya D/A for the quiz competiotion,” madam Anani averred.

The ‘Academic Improvement Project,’ under which the ‘Read 4Life Initiative’ was instituted to solve the major challenge of reading inability amongst school children in public schools especially those in rural areas.

Information Minister Commends Project

Minister for Information, Hon Dr. Mustapha Hamid who graced the event as Special Guest of Honor highly commended the Oye foundation for their initiative since it will help address some of the challenges of the education sector.

                          Dr. Mustapha Hamid and other Dignitaries at the high table

The minister who took part in the baseline survey of the program and thus witnessed the students’ performance during the time observed that a lot of progress had been made.

He further promised to continue to advocate for the needs of the community and also to recommend the schools and teachers in the participating schools to the Ministry of Education, the Vice President and the President of the country to reward their efforts.

District Director of Education

Mr. Gideon Maya who represented the District Director of Education also applauded the competitors for their impressive performances and urged the Oye Foundation, organizers of the program, to extend the program to other schools as promised.

He was convinced that this will help the directorate in achieving their aim to ensure that schools in the district perform well.

Golden Exotics

Human Resource Manager of Golden Exotics Limited, Mr. Gideon on his part encouraged parents to have their wards education at heart by following up on the reading skills of the pupils at home instead of watching telenovelas with them.

As part of the Corporate, Social Responsibilities of the company, the Human Resource Manager promised the continuous support of the company to the cause of the affected schools.

The quiz which was in four parts; spelling, reading, summary and formation of words saw Kasunya D/A adjudged the overall best school winning the Ultimate prize of Golden Cup.

The Read 4LIFE Initiative is among a number of interventional activities being carried out by OYE Foundation to help eliminate the existing barriers to quality rural education, and to improve academic standard of rural public schools.

The program is targeted at school children at the primary level with the hope to empower them to progress higher in their educational journey, as well as to achieve improvement in teaching and learning outcomes in deprived schools.

The program was graced by Officials from the District Education Office, Teachers, Assembly members and Chief and elders of the community.

The program was sponsored by Golden Exotic Limited and their mother company Fond De Dotation Compagnie Fruitiere.

Source: Joyce Bedeley/ritefmonline.org/jbedeley9357@gmail.com

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