A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Spell Africa International (SAI), has reeled out its plan to award scholarships to at least 1000 primary and secondary school students across the federation.

In a statement yesterday, the founder, Gift Akwejevu, clarified that the initiative was borne out of passion to educate the underdeveloped societies to prevent their involvement in illicit activities.

As part of efforts to get children off the streets, Greater Tomorrow International School has bagged the first to third position in the secondary category of the firm’s 12th Spelling Leaders Competition in Abuja.

The competition also saw pupils from Karryfield International School clinching the first and third positions, while Fouad Lababidi Islamic Academy got the second spot in the primary category.

In the Lagos leg, Kith and Kin Nursery/Primary School, Sirius Schools and Zee Excellent School emerged winner in the primary category r, while secondary category had Geth- Gol College coming first and third, as Zee Excellent School went home after nicking the second position.

The competition had over 96 pupils in the primary category compete for the star prize, while the senior category had 40.

Akwejevu explained that Spell Africa awards scholarships to children whose guardians cannot afford education and has 26 beneficiaries currently.

According to her, the spelling competition runs in states such as Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ekiti, Osun, Delta, Lagos, Plateau and Ogun states and three editions occur yearly in about four states.

“There are two categories for the competition, basic three to six for primary category and basic eight to senior secondary (Ss) two for secondary category.

“A participating school decides the category and number of contestants to represent their school while registering and the words would be sent to them so they can practice with it for two months, then they have the preliminary and students that qualify at this round go into finals.

“The winners go home with books, trophies, medals. First position gets a laptop, second gets a tab, while the third position goes home with an android wristwatch.

She noted motivation of students as the focus of the spelling competition, as it helps them put in more work in studying.