Seventeen schools participated, four from Ga-Sekororo and 13 from Bolobedu East. B-Square is a non-profit organisation founded by Bafedile Sakuneka, Ginny Mahasha and Nkoko Sekete and aims to empower disadvantaged schoolgirls from Gr 6 to 12. The competition was in English and Sepedi. The foundation says they are working to include Xitsonga and Tshivenda in next year’s event.

The winners in the Gr 6 and Gr 7 category took home a tablet each. Second and third places won smartwatches, wireless earphones, and other goodies respectively. Winners in both Gr 8 and Gr 9 and Gr 10 and Gr 11 won a laptop each, second and third places won the same items as the Gr 6s and 7s.

Also read: Xivono wins spelling bee competition

Boitumelo Maenetja from Masekane Primary School, Nakana Kamogelo (Matokane Primary School and Lerato Mokeana (Mmalesiba High) were the winners for the Gr 6 and Gr 7, Gr 8 and Gr 9, and Gr 10 and Gr 11, respectively. Bafedile said she was pleased with the high level of competition as learners and educators took the competition seriously by participating in the orientation classes which were held before the event.

“We have so many organisations who have reached out to us for collaboration to start book clubs and readingaloud competitions. “We are supported by stakeholders including the South African Democratic Teaching Union (Sadtu). Next year’s event is going to be bigger and better,” she concluded.