An indigenous languages spelling bee contest will be held at the Stanza Bopape Community Hall in Mamelodi West. PIcture: File
Pretoria - Spelling bee competitions promote comprehensive reading and builds the intellect of pupils from an early age.
Founder and president of The Eye of Hope community development organisation Kutloano Malahlela is preparing an indigenous languages competition scheduled for September 22 at the Stanza Bopape Community Hall in Mamelodi West.
Malahlela said the competition was inspired by the Heritage Month commemoration.
“We will be hosting 45 learners from various schools in Mamelodi who will be spelling in the prescribed languages.
“The preservation of African languages is important to ensure they do not cease to exist in the near future. This will serve as a motivation to other learners who are struggling in African languages to start doing well in those subjects.”
Malahlela said the only way to eliminate an alien culture was by embracing African culture.
“We can only do this by taking pride in talking using African languages and using them on various entertainment programmes, educational initiatives and basic communication in households.”
Malahlela highlighted the importance and benefits of such initiatives.
“It is important that learners are encouraged to participate in this kind of platform, especially those in township schools, so that they can be protected from social ills like drugs and teenage pregnancy. We also believe in the notion that readers are leaders; so through these programmes, we build future leaders who will take pride in their culture,” Malahlela said.
The judging panel of the spelling bee competition will be composed of language experts from various disciplines, including authors, presenters, post-graduates, as well as ambassadors of various arts and culture programmes.
“The competition will be facilitated in three languages, Sepedi, IsiZulu and Xitsonga. These languages were selected based on the availability of schools offering them as home language subjects.
“However, as we expand the programme on a national scale, we will be accommodating other indigenous languages offered in communities we will then be working in.”
Pretoria News