Pretoria

Pretoria branch initiated and hosted a Spelling Bee competition in August this year.

Since the event was ‘a first’ it was decided to keep it small, to maximise the success of the event so that we may hold a bigger competition next year.

Approximately 48 primary schools in and around Pretoria were contacted, as the competition catered specifically for Grade 6 & 7 learners.  New memberships were signed and of the 13 schools that replied, approximately 106 entries were received.

English HL and English FAL were adjudicated separately with independent Pronouncers and Adjudicators for each category.  The spelling lists for each category also differed, being age- and level appropriate for each category. 

From left to right: Ms Kubheka (Pronouncer). Hope Ngobeni (Scorer), Mrs Heymans (Adjudicator)

The event was extremely well supported by the parents, so much so that we had to carry in more chairs to fill the hall. 

The parents were arguably much more competitive than the contestants, which is one thing myself and the MC had to keep an eye on to avoid potentially tricky situations.  To defuse the tension (on occasion) we had fun give-away prizes intermittently, which immediately restored the equilibrium in the room.

English HL winners (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd) with their prizes

Some of the English FAL winners with their prizes

At the close of the event, all the contestants were given an opportunity to sign/hand print/scribble something on the Registration banner, giving the event a personal touch and personalizing it for the contestants as well.

The event was a tremendous success ad also received national coverage on the Good Morning! show on DSTV Channel 147: (8 October 2025)

🎤 Get Ready to Speak Up, Stand Out, and Shine! 🌟
SACEE Pretoria is thrilled to announce our Open Mic Competition 2026 — where words take centre stage! Whether you write, rhyme, act, or inspire, this is your chance to share your voice and creativity with the world. 🗣️✨

For 2026 we will be opening the competition to all the high schools in the Pretoria area (Grade 10 & 11).  Our sponsors have pledged their commitment once again, with a few additional sponsors on board and our guest for the evening will be Ms Keamogetse Moganedi from PanSALB.  It promises to be a memorable event.  The Good Morning! Show have also promised us a segment in the new year to promote the event and are very keen to learn more about the event.

We will again host Spelling Bee as well during the second half of 2026, but extend it to high school students as well.  Our plan to improve on this year’s event, is to have two adjoining halls for each category (already discussed with the hosting school).  It streamlines the logistics and limits the noise levels.

We certainly ended 2025 on a high note and hope to achieve even more school and learner involvement in 2026, enriching lives through learning!