Team from South Africa wins 8th African Spelling Bee championship in Zimbabwe

A team from South Africa took first place in the 8th African Spelling Bee championship, held this year in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. This was reported on the organiser’s social media.

The African Spelling Bee competition has three categories: junior and senior, in which participants compete individually, and a team category for national teams.

Based on the overall team results, first place went to the participants from South Africa, second to Nigeria, and third to Zimbabwe.

The winner in the senior age category was a participant from Rwanda, with Zimbabwe and Malawi taking second and third place. In the junior age category, gold and bronze went to children from Nigeria, whilst silver was won by a participant from South Africa.

"The competition builds confidence and character, especially in public speaking, and at an African level it creates a sense of community and Pan-Africanism. It is not just about spelling; it is educational, cultural, and brings us together," said Love Joshua, programme director of the Spelling Bee competition in Nigeria, as reported by ZBC News, a partner of TV BRICS.

The organisers emphasise that the aim of the championship is not merely to identify the best spelling experts. It is designed to boost participants’ self-confidence, promote unity among African nations and celebrate the intellectual potential of young people across the continent.

"We were in Nigeria last year and Uganda in 2023. It is important for us to be here because it gives our country, our team, a chance to showcase their talent. […] This contest is really important; it builds confidence in children and improves literacy," noted Eneresi Chomusora, National Director of the Zimbabwe Spelling Bee Competition.

The African Spelling Bee was launched in 2016. It was founded by 10 organisations running national Spelling Bee competitions from Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The first competition took place in Johannesburg, South Africa. In subsequent years, the championship has also been held in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and Nigeria.