Galtimari School wins UNICEF spelling bee competition in Borno

The Galtamari Secondary School has emerged the winner of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spelling bee championship in Borno State.

According to the UN agency, the spelling bee yearly completion was to improve literacy and numeracy among children between the ages of seven and 14 in primary schools.

Announcing the winner, UNICEF’s Programme Manager, Restoration of Hope Initiative (ROHI), Benjamin John, said: “Government Secondary School, Galtimari scored 130 points, while Borno Special School (BSS) emerged second position with 115 marks in the concluded spelling bee championship held at Pinnacle Hotel, Maiduguri.”

He said 16 schools participated in the competition before the two schools emerged finalists to spell 70 words correctly.

“Each word has 10 points with a bonus of five marks for spelling the words correctly at the championship to mark International Day of Education.

“Out of the 70 words, including anonymousness, treacle, rhinoceros and dis-enfranchisement, only 25 were spelt correctly in the spelling championship of two schools.”

John noted that though Galtimari emerged the spelling champion with 130 points, the participants could not correctly spelt 45 words or 64 per cent of the total 70 words.

“The pupils found it difficult to spell the words, including aerostatics, raspberry, deteriorative and anthropomorphic, among others,” he lamented.

Chairman, State’s Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Bulama Kagu, represented by the Permanent Commissioner of the Board, Alhaji Sadiq Abdullahi, said the development could not take place without education.

According to him, education has improved the provision of shelter and transportation system with modern technology.

He, therefore, urged the children not to relent in their educational pursuits to secure their future.