Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 27
The 7th Nagaland Spelling Bee Championship 2018 got underway here this morning under the aegis of Fountain Club in partnership with State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT) Nagaland with the theme ‘The Learning Edge’ at Capital Convention Centre.
This is one of the highest prize money in term of literary events in Nagaland, featuring a total amount of 1.59 lakhs. A spelling bee is a competition in which contestants are asked to spell a broad selection of words, usually with a varying degree of difficulty. The concept is thought to have originated in the United States, and spelling bee events, along with variants, are now also held in some other countries around the world.
Learning is a continuous process
Gracing the inaugural function as “bee guest,” Minister Planning & Co-Ordination and Land Revenue Neiba Kronu said that there may be so many advanced technologies in the world but “in learning there is no shortcut.”
He maintained that the world is turning into a village and termed those in this present generation as lucky lot as what is happening in America is also practice by them even here.
“Technology has brought us together,” he said.
He maintained that the most important stage of life is academic life, adding that the learning is a continuous process. Kronu declared said that he himself use to open dictionary even now to learn new words and even do practice pronunciations.
“Everywhere, every country, there is a demand for job” Kronu said.
He said the world is looking for honest people, sincere people, hardworking people and intelligent people, adding that job opportunity is there in every part of the world but “they want only quality men and quality women.”
The minister was appreciative that one good thing about the people of the north eastern region is that they speak English better than others.
Maintaining that English has become one of the most expensive commodities of the world, he was appreciative that “We are far better than Chinese, Japanese and others” in speaking English.
Expressing deep concern over the present scenario of the social problems, he called upon the people to stand together to correct the wrong system.
Education can happen anywhere
SCERT director T. Sekhose said that spelling bee competition is a co-scholastic activity to facilitate students to come together in the atmosphere of friendly rivalry.
He informed that SCERT is closely associated with the needful of education.
“We are aware that education is not to be found only within the confine of four walls of classroom. Education can happen anywhere,” he said.
He said spelling activity help student to improve his/her reading and also cement the relationship that is there between sounds and letters.
“This kind of activity also provide students to get to learn so many aspects of language, the origin, the history, the grammatical function of words,” Sekhose said.
It also helps in honing the students learning ability, the learning strategy besides the benefit of learning how to stand in public and how to express oneself infront of the crowd.
“Learn the correct spelling’
Literacy skill is one of the most important things to develop young children, ability to read & write and spell words correctly, said Rev. Fr. Jacob, vice president All Nagaland Private School Association.
He challenged the students to give special attention to each word and learn the correct spelling. He said that spelling bee competition not only allow the students to engage in healthy competition but also provide avenues for them to grow in proficiency of language.
He added that preparation for spelling bee competition is not merely a road learning of words but a comprehensive learning of definition, pronunciation and root of the words.
“It also helps you to learn grammar better. It will enhance your knowledge and also stimulate your interest in learning a new word,” he added.
Organizing committee convenor Medo Yhokha was optimistic that this competition will definitely go a long was in shaping the students to be a man and woman of substance as they pursue their academic career.
Altogether, 60 students from Kohima, Dimapur and Wokha joined this 7th edition, which will culminate on September 28.
Out of 60, 32 spellers today qualified for the round of 32. Principal Secretary for school education Menukhol John will grace the valedictory function on September 28 at 4:00 PM.
