At the Bookworm Greater Accra Season 13 grand finale held on Saturday, October 24, CEO Nelson Kofi Poku urged parents and teachers to encourage children to join extracurricular activities as a way to develop their talents and improve their chances of accessing educational opportunities.
Speaking on the sidelines, Mr Poku said that academic performance alone is no longer enough to prepare children for the competitive world. He highlighted educational competitions and other public activities as platforms for children to demonstrate their abilities and attract opportunities beyond the classroom.
He cited a female student from Keta in the Volta Region who reached the final stage of the National Science and Maths Quiz, a feat that helped her secure an opportunity to study abroad. "Such opportunities demonstrate the importance of allowing children to participate in competitions that can open doors to further education and personal development," he said.
Bookworm, which has operated for nearly a decade, now runs in about ten regions across Ghana. The Greater Accra competition began with roughly 74 schools, 33 of which qualified for the grand finale. The event featured lower primary, upper primary and junior high school categories, with winners crowned in each division.
Mr Poku said the programme is open to pupils from both public and private schools, and he welcomed public school participation. He explained that Bookworm offers incentives such as 50 per cent scholarships for one year to winners and laptops to ultimate champions. Sponsors also support top performers with trips to Dubai, covering half the cost, and corporate partners provide souvenirs and other items.
The competition is designed to develop a broad range of skills, from storytelling and summarising passages to answering comprehension questions. A segment called “Knowing Your Parents” aims to strengthen relationships between children and their families. Mr Poku expressed confidence that these activities would help participants build critical thinking, communication, interpersonal skills and confidence.
Bookworm will continue to provide platforms for children to discover their strengths, showcase their abilities and prepare for future opportunities.
