THE GRAND FINALE OF THE 2026 GREATER ACCRA CATHOLIC EDUCATION UNIT SPELLING BEE COMPETITION
On Thursday, 21st May 2026, the Catholic Education Unit of the Greater Accra Region, under the auspices of the Archdiocesan Education Committee, successfully organised the Grand Finale of its 2026 Annual Spelling Bee Competition at the St. Charles Lwanga Parish Hall, Abeka.
The colourful event brought together pupils, teachers, parents, sponsors, priests, Religious Sisters, and distinguished guests to celebrate academic excellence and literacy among Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of Accra.
The programme was graced by the Auxiliary Bishop of Accra and Bishop in charge of Youth, Most Rev. Anthony Narh Asare, who served as the Special Guest of Honour. Also present were the President of Catholic Basic Schools, Mr. George Kofi Boteway, the Regional Manager of Catholic Schools, Accra, Mr. Abraham Laryea Okorley, priests, Religious Sisters, and other dignitaries.
Delivering the welcome address, Mr. Abraham Laryea Okorley warmly welcomed all participants and described the event as a festival of words, wisdom, and learning. He explained that the competition was not only about winning but also about nurturing literacy, building confidence, sharpening intellect, and developing leadership qualities among learners.
Mr. Okorley noted that the Annual Spelling Bee Competition began in 2015 with the objective of promoting literacy and academic excellence among pupils in Catholic schools across Greater Accra. He highlighted that all 88 Catholic schools in the region participated in the competition through preliminary contests held across ten centres before the best six schools emerged for the grand finale.
He further stressed that the competition helps learners improve their vocabulary, reading habits, understanding of language, memory, discipline, and confidence.
Finalist Schools
- St. Francis Xavier School, Kotobabi
- St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School, Ashaley-Botwe
- Blessed Laura Catholic School, Ashaiman
- Bishop Bowers Catholic School, Lartebiokorshie
- St. Anthony RC Basic School, Fishpond
- Quaye Nungua RC Basic School, Nungua
A message was delivered on behalf of the sponsors by Mr. Edwin Armah of NNF Esquire Ltd. In his address, he described words as powerful tools that open doors to imagination, leadership, opportunity, and connection. He praised the contestants for their hard work, determination, and courage to challenge themselves academically. He also commended parents and teachers for supporting and encouraging the children throughout the competition.
Mr. Armah reminded the pupils that learning is a lifelong journey and encouraged them to continue striving for excellence.
The Auxiliary Bishop of Accra, Most Rev. Anthony Narh Asare, expressed appreciation to the organisers, sponsors, teachers, parents, and students for making the competition a success. He encouraged the pupils to study diligently, remain disciplined, and continue making their parents, teachers, and schools proud through academic excellence and good character.
The competition itself was keenly contested, with participants displaying remarkable intelligence, confidence, and mastery of words.
Final Results
1st Position – St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School, Ashaley-Botwe
2nd Position – St. Francis Xavier School, Kotobabi
3rd Position – Bishop Bowers Catholic School, Lartebiokorshie
4th Position – St. Anthony RC Basic School, Fishpond
5th Position – Quaye Nungua RC Basic School, Nungua
6th Position – Blessed Laura Catholic School, Ashaiman
The winners received tablets, trophies, medals, school bags, and certificates, while the schools that placed second and third received trophies, medals, school bags, and certificates. Schools that placed fourth to sixth also received school bags and certificates in recognition of their outstanding performances.
In an interview conducted during the programme, the Quiz Mistress, Mrs. Mary Boatemah Adjei, commended the contestants for their impressive performance and confidence throughout the competition. She observed that although a few contestants struggled with pronunciation and stage confidence, the majority performed exceptionally well considering their age and educational level.
Having served in the Catholic Education Reading and Spelling Festival for the past five years, she described this year’s participation as commendable and encouraged parents to motivate their children to participate in such competitions because they help build confidence, communication skills, eloquence, and proper pronunciation.
The Headmaster of the winning school, Mr. Maxwell Ewoxo Nyamekye, expressed great joy and gratitude after the victory. He attributed the school’s success to hard work, patience, dedication, and thorough preparation by both teachers and contestants. According to him, retaining the trophy was not easy and required sacrifices, extra study sessions, and commitment even during holidays. He thanked God for the achievement and expressed hope that the school would continue to maintain its standard of excellence in future competitions.
Rev. Fr. Raymond Lord Ampong, Assistant Youth Chaplain, expressed his excitement at being part of the grand finale. He noted that all the contestants demonstrated excellent preparation, confidence, brilliance, and determination throughout the contest.
He encouraged students to take their education seriously, stressing that knowledge is power and an important tool for transforming society. He further advised learners to pay attention to spelling and the proper use of English to improve communication and interaction with others.
In his closing remarks, the Chairman of the event, Mr. Anthony Orraca Tetteh, thanked all dignitaries, organisers, sponsors, teachers, parents, and students for contributing to the success of the programme.
He encouraged the students to take their studies seriously, dream big, and work hard towards achieving their goals because the future lies in their hands. He also urged parents and teachers to continue guiding and supporting the children in their academic journey.
The programme ended on a joyful and successful note, with appreciation to all stakeholders for their commitment to promoting quality Catholic education in the Greater Accra Region. The event once again demonstrated the importance of literacy and academic competitions in nurturing confident, disciplined, and intelligent young learners.
Story by:
Thelma N. E. Impraim-Holm
