Abubacarr Sambou, a student of Swallow Education Center for Emancipation finished as first runner up. He received seven thousand five hundred dalasis.
Fanta T. Tamba, a student of Presentation of Mary lower basic school emerged as the second runner up and was rewarded with a cash amount of five thousand dalasis.
The organisation meanwhile also launched its African Nations Current Affairs competition initiated to help children know about their heritage and culture. Schools will send their representatives who will be trained on different cultures across the continent.
Omar Janneh, Director of Admin and Human Resources, Central Bank of The Gambia in deputising for Deputy Governor 2 Central Bank of The Gambia said letters and numbers combined governs the world.
He added that whatever we do falls within letters and numbers, and therefore we must never stop learning as people and a nation.
Mr. Janneh commended organizers of the competition for complementing government efforts in its drive towards progress and development.
He stated that molding children to widen their spelling skills is one of the most important pillars of education, adding that education has the ability to prepare us more than anything else to face challenges in life and make us succeed.
“Children are the future of the country and investing in them is an honourable duty”, he further said, adding that a developing country like The Gambia must prioritise human development.
Lamin Fotajo, Director Regional Education Directorate 2 thanked organisers of the competition for their consistency and effort in unleashing the potential of children.
He added that the competition is an opportunity to build potentials of children that will move the nation.
Ebrima Ceesay, senior communications officer at Central Bank of The Gambia said Africa is the richest continent on earth but also have the poorest people. He said the African Nations Current Affairs initiative will help children go round Africa and study what is available to have the vision and will as future leaders.
He also said that Africa needs the political will to be able to move the continent to become a superpower.
Isatou Sowe of National Library of The Gambia who doubled as Chief Judge for the national spelling bee explained that each student will choose a country and learn everything about it and during the African Nations Current Affairs competition wear that country’s outfit and present everything about that country.
She added that they initiated this because ‘our children’s lifestyles have been diverted with them now wearing clothes that are not African.’
He noted that the competition will show the world the true Africa and not the negative shown to the world. “We have a lot to be proud of than what is been portrayed”, she also said. “Africa also knows peace and not only wars”.
Tunde Muyi Ogundimu, CEO TAKE-M Transformation Organisation said their aim is to get micro scholarship for students and therefore appealed for help to ensure students have the opportunity to showcase their potentials.
He called for the need for all to work together to promote quality education in the country, saying children are the ones that can make Gambia great.
The organisation awarded Central Bank of The Gambia, Muhammed Jah, CEO QGroup and Isatou Ndaw of The Gambia College for their outstanding contribution towards the competition and education in the country.
Meanwhile, the TAKE-M spelling bee is aimed at helping lower basic school students achieve competency at grade 4 reading and spelling levels with the aim of improving matric pass rates and further help them better prepare for tertiary education and later employment.
