The grand finale of Season 12 of the Bookworm Reading Reality Show was held last Saturday in Accra at the GNAT Hall.
The competition, which is Ghana’s premier children’s reading and literacy contest, saw finalists compete in cultural, career, and reading/comprehension segments.
At the end of the contest, Isabela Ayidah of Hertford International Christian School won the Upper Primary category with 96.43%.
Godiva Koomson of Hallmark International School won the Lower Primary category with 96.50%, while Othneil Tsevi of Charlotte Memorial School won the Junior High School (JHS) category with 93.50%.
The Bookworm Reading Reality Show is organised by Bookworm Avenue Consult to unearth and celebrate reading potential among basic school pupils from Basic 1 to JHS.
According to the Founder and CEO, Nelson Kofi Poku, the initiative started about 10 years ago and currently covers 10 regions. He said the focus on the basic level is deliberate because it is at that stage that reading habits can be inculcated to shape the future.
For the Accra edition, 74 schools started the competition, with 33 schools making it to the grand finale across the three categories: Lower Primary, Upper Primary, and JHS.
Mr. Poku explained that contestants go through several stages before the finale. They include general story reading, summary writing where pupils narrate a story in their own words, comprehension, and career/cultural segments. One key segment is “Knowing Your Parents” which includes My Mother and My Father, aimed at bridging the gap between parents and children.
The show is also leveraging digital platforms, as children get motivated watching themselves on TV reading, which shifts their attention from unproductive social media use to educational content.
Winners in each category receive: 50% tuition fee scholarship for one year. Laptops for the ultimate winners. 50% sponsored Dubai trip for the ultimate winner, first runner-up and second runner-up to explore and gain international exposure. Souvenirs and products from sponsors including Twellium Industries, Top Choco and Flora Tissues.
The competition was open to both private and public basic schools across the country.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke