Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions: Welcome to our FAQ Page

Before you put a call through to us, please take the time out to check if your intended question has already been answered here. Thanks

WHO ORGANIZES THE SPELLING BEE SOUTH SUDAN COMPETITION?

• The competition is organised by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan (EFSS), an NGO duly registered with the SSRRC and endorsed by the National Ministry of General Education and Instruction to carry out the Spelling Bee in South Sudan and send Spellers to represent South Sudan at international literary competitions such as the African Spelling Bee.

HOW CAN I SPONSOR AN EVENT?

• Corporate enterprises, NGOs, and individuals that want to make a difference in the lives of the next generation of South Sudanese can sponsor the South Sudan National Spelling Bee. Please email us at southsudanspellingbee@gmail.com if you have any questions.

HOW CAN I JOIN?

• You can register for the South Sudan National Spelling Bee by filling out a google form that the organizers will share. 

• The tournament is accessible to all primary and secondary school students in South Sudan.

HOW MANY STUDENTS CAN REGISTER FROM MY SCHOOL?

• The number of Spellers from a school has no upper or lower limit. As long as they complete the eligibility requirements, any pupils are eligible to compete in the Spelling Bee South Sudan contests. 

• All interested youngsters and students should be given the same opportunity by schools.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO REGISTER?

• The competition registration fee is 100,000 South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) for each school team. 

• The registration fee can be paid at any bank branch designated by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan. 

• Mobile Money Transfer is another option for payment. 

• Following registration, you will be given a confirmation sheet. On the day of the tournament, spellers are expected to submit their confirmation slips during accreditation.

WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL DICTIONARY?

• The official Dictionary of the competition is the “Oxford Advanced Learners English Dictionary”. This is the sole source of words and adjudication criteria.

WHAT IS THE AGE LIMIT / CATEGORIES?

• The Spelling Bee of South Sudan is divided into two categories. Primary and secondary schools are the two types of schools. These classifications are not based on age, but rather on whether the student is in primary or secondary school.

WHEN IS THE COMPETITION?

• The competition takes place in Term II and Term III of every academic year.

HOW CAN MY SCHOOL HOST THE COMPETITION?

• Spelling Bee South Sudan receives hosting requests from interested schools that wish to host the competition on their school premises.

CAN WE ATTEND AS OBSERVERS?

• Yes. On competition day, we welcome schools or individuals who desire to observe and cheer on the Spellers. Please note that when participating schools have been accommodated, you will be seated as observers on a first-come, first-served basis.

WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE COMPETITION?

• On the day of the competition, each speller will be asked to show up and spell the words allotted to them according to the contest rounds. Spellers who spelled correctly at the end of the round will advance to the next round; this will continue until the required number of qualifiers emerge at the county or state level, or until a Champion emerges at the National Finals.

IS THERE A WORD LIST?

• Because we urge spellers to read widely rather than memorise terms, the South Sudan National Spelling Bee (SSNSB) does not give a list of English words that will be used in the competition. Spellers are expected to read a wide range of material. The people who work on the word list – Bee officials and special contributors — come upon the words while going about their daily lives, reading books, and travelling. Then they look up the words in the Oxford Advanced Learners' English Dictionary to see if they exist.

WHERE DO WE GET THE WORDS?

• The Spelling Bee South Sudan's official dictionary is the Oxford Advanced Learners' English Dictionary. The dictionary contains all of the words used in the Spelling Bee. In any spelling disagreements, the dictionary will have the final say. Spellers must use British English in circumstances where American and British spelling differ.

MY QUESTION IS NOT ANSWERED ABOVE / I NEED MORE CLARIFICATION.

• If you have any additional questions or require additional information, please follow the steps below: First, send a text message (SMS) to +211 (0) 923 500 332, specifying your location and all of your queries. You will receive a response right away.

• You may also send your inquiry to +211 (0) 923 500 332 via WhatsApp. Finally, during the day or early evening, dial +211 923 500 332 or +211 985 987 007 or mailto:southsudanspellingbee@gmail.com