Nigeria and Ghana have been selected as the African representatives for the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee, scheduled to take place in the United States in 2025, as announced by the Young Educators Foundation, a non-governmental organization. The foundation’s CEO, Eugenia Tachie-Menson, disclosed this information in a statement to reporters in Abuja on Thursday.
Tachie-Menson noted that Ghana has held this role as the continent’s representative in the spelling bee for nearly 20 years. The competition assesses children’s proficiency in both spelling and vocabulary.
She attributed Nigeria’s inclusion in the representation to a partnership between the foundation and the Lucid Education Initiative in Nigeria. This collaboration aims to foster a passion for spelling and literacy among Nigerian youth.
According to Tachie-Menson, “The Scripps National Spelling Bee is not just a competition; it is a celebration of discipline, mastery of language, and academic excellence. This opportunity not only shines a global spotlight on Nigerian students and schools but also enhances cognitive skills, critical thinking, and mental agility among young learners. Furthermore, it ignites curiosity and nurtures a lifelong love for language and learning.”
She mentioned that the organization is currently developing a procedure for selecting students for national competitions to achieve international representation.
The CEO further explained that they initially began selecting students from a few private institutions before expanding to include public ones.
“The winner of this upcoming spelling contest will secure a place at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., scheduled for May 2025,” she added.
Afolajimi Akinyoyenu, CEO of Lucid Education Initiative, emphasized that Nigeria’s participation in the competition would highlight the importance of spelling and literacy education for young learners.
“This initiative provides a platform for Nigerian youths to demonstrate their literacy skills on a global scale. It aims to challenge the outdated stereotype that African children are solely concerned with necessities like food,” he remarked.
The 2024 edition featured a total of 245 national contestants, hailing from schools across the United States, Europe, Ghana, Canada, and various other countries.
Participants in the Scripps National Spelling Bee face a thrilling mental challenge, with just 75 seconds for questions and 90 seconds for spelling each word.