Staff Reporter
Team South Africa secured fourth place at the World Spelling Bee Championship in Shanghai, China, with 13-year-old North West learner Mbulelo Tolom finishing sixth overall.
The six-member South African team competed at the international championship from 13 to 20 July.
Tolom, a Grade 7 learner at Klerksdorp Primary School in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, was the youngest member of the South African team.
He competed against learners in higher grades and finished sixth in the individual competition, with the department praising his spelling ability, determination and resilience.
North West Education MEC Viola Motsumi congratulated the team on its fourth-place finish and commended its performance against international competitors.
“Allow me to congratulate Team South Africa on this exceptional achievement at an international level. Their performance demonstrates the high quality of education provided in our schools and confirms that South African learners can compete with the very best in the world,” Motsumi said.
She also praised Tolom’s individual performance, saying his age and background had not prevented him from competing successfully at the international level.
“I am also exceptionally proud of Mbulelo Tolom for achieving the sixth place overall in the World Spelling Bee Championship. As the youngest member of Team South Africa, Mbulelo competed against learners from higher grades and from some of the best schools across the world. His achievement proves that one’s background does not determine one’s destination, but that hard work, determination and commitment can lead to success,” Motsumi said.
“Mbulelo has shown that South African learners have the talent and confidence to compete on the global stage. He is an inspiration and a positive role model for many young people in the North West Province and across the country,” she added.
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