Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Spelling Bee returned to Kampala on October 25, 2025, bigger and bolder than ever, with a family-friendly celebration at Serena Hotel bringing together 167 young spellers from 15 districts across Uganda.
This year’s Grand Finale featured competitive rounds, storytelling, performances, and guest speakers, creating a platform to nurture confidence, vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking.
Participants came from districts as diverse as Jinja and Mbale in the east, to Masaka, Mbarara, and Bushenyi in the west.
Jonathan Amollo from Tororo Primary School emerged as the winner, while Peter Lwanga Sendi of Pax Junior School came second and Leah Arinaitwe from Parental Care Primary School placed third.
William Mukisa, Chief Literacy Officer at Enjuba, a children’s organisation focused on improving literacy, said, “Spelling Bee is a catalytic program that helps children fall in love with reading.
As a country, we have a problem of illiteracy, where 83% of Ugandan children below ten years are unable to read and write.
Spelling Bee pushes children to books, and in the process, they learn how to read, read to learn, grow their vocabulary, and improve their literacy.”
He added that the programme goes beyond Uganda.
“We are part of the African Spelling Bee. The winners here normally represent the country at the African level, which has over 20 countries participating every year. Last year, we were in Nigeria, and this year Zimbabwe will host.”
Alfonso Sekayiza, a teacher at Namagunga Primary Boarding School and a Spelling Bee patron, explained the value of the competition.
“We want to boost their confidence and help them learn how to interact with different resources. If they are challenged, they find more ways. We are looking at fostering confidence, building vocabulary, and giving them a platform to shine at different levels.”
He noted that Namagunga has previously produced a national champion who performed well in Nigeria.
Grace Akoli, headteacher of Acankado Primary School in Kole district, said her school began its Spelling Bee club in Term Two 2025.
“One of the spellers from my school was among the best three,” she said.
“We have about 100 learners in the club, starting with P4, and we plan to expand. It makes learners confident. They improve in debating, pronunciation, even reading stories. Clubs are very important; they make learners confident and able to express themselves well.”
Mukisa urged schools, teachers, parents, and guardians to ensure children have access to books.
“Let them not just see the books; let them open these books, let them learn how to read, and in the process, that is a skill they are going to need the rest of their lives, whether they end up being doctors, social workers, or whatever they aspire to be,” he said.
The competition challenged young spellers not only on quick spelling recall but also on vocabulary and word meaning, aiming to inspire a lifelong love of reading and learning.
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