Bolgatanga, April. 6, GNA- The Upper East branch of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in collaboration with Quest Events, an events Management Company on Friday organized a spelling Competition for Junior High Schools in Bolgatanga, aimed at improving the spellings ability of students.

The competition, dubbed "National Spelling Zee Competition" (NSZ) drew 54 competitors from the eight districts in the Region to participate in the event.

The first to third winners of the competition received cash donations of 30 Ghana Cedis, 20 Ghana Cedis and 10 Ghana Cedis respectively, in addition to Dictionaries, books and certificates while the fourth to the tenth positions took home certificates. Faith Awuni from the Bawku Presbyterian Junior High School emerged the overall Regional best Winner whilst Linda Asuon-Sakiya from the Bolgatanga Sacred Heart Junior High School became the Second and Ayimbire Josbert of Saligba Junior High School in the Bongo District came third. The three students, who emerged the overall winners, would represent the Region in August this year at the National level to compete for the NSZ. Mr Kodwo Morgan, Director of Quest Events in charge of NSZ, speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the event, explained that the exercise formed part of the cooperate Social responsibility of his outfit and was intended to be carried out annually to help improve the spelling ability of students in the country. "Poor spelling that retards the performance of students in the English Language needs to be addressed immediately and all stakeholders must come on board since it is greatly hampering the academic performance of our children", he said. He entreated teachers to re-introduce the spelling concept in schools, where children were given words before close of the day to memorize and are tested on it the following day. Mr Morgan said in future, Quest Events would extend its NSZ and other educational programmes to the Kindergarten and the Senior High Schools in the Country. The competition is being supported by TIGO, a telephone company and sponsored by Kenya Airways, Graphic Communications Group, SEDCO Longman Publishers and Antrak Air.