As part of the Read to Lead Campaign, the DBE hosts the DBE Spelling Bee South Africa (National spelling bee championship) and promotes the love of reading through the promotion of reading clubs in schools, annually. A spelling bee is a game or competition in which the participants compete in spelling words orally. The National spelling bee championship which targets learners in Grade 4 to 6 (the intermediate phase) is aimed at improving learners' performance in languages.

A call is hereby made for all schools with Grades 4 to 6 to encourage learners to participate in the 2021 National spelling bee championship. The procedure for participation in the 2021 Spelling Bee is to fill in the registration form which must be stamped by the school and faxed/sent through to the provincial coordinator of the Spelling Bee. All learners including those from independent schools Home Education and special schools are invited to participate.

While other grades are also encouraged to take part in the spelling bee, only Grades 4 to 6 winners will proceed to the National championship in the third quarter of the year. Schools are requested to first hold the competition in class, grade, and phase to select their best three spellers who will represent them at cluster/circuit, district and provincial levels of the championship.

Upon receipt of the registration form in which names of the winners are entered, the provincial coordinator, indicated in the table below will organise a workshop for schools to explain the rules of the competition as well as conduct elimination rounds up to the provincial level.

The DBE will receive the names of the provincial winners and host a National championship in English and African Indigenous Languages indicated under related resources on dates still to be confirmed in 2021. Participation in the programme is free.

For further enquiries, kindly contact Mr PJ Ngoepe, Sport and Enrichment on 012 357 3442 (and via email: ngoepe.pj@dbe.gov.za)