OCRC 2024: Amansie South Gives Otumfuo Reading Challenge A Champion
The Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation kicked off this year’s Otumfuo Community Reading Challenge (OCRC) on April 2, 2024.
The Special Edition of the 2024 OCRC Championship is dubbed “The Silver Jubilee Edition,” commemorating 25 years of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s good and prosperous leadership on the Golden Stool.
Sixty communities in both the municipal and district areas of the Ashanti Region are competing for the ultimate prize, which includes the trophy, cash prize, university scholarship, and other souvenirs.
The Preliminary Stage commenced in the Amansie South District, specifically in Manso Adubea, marking the district’s first participation in the OCRC Championship.
Gloria Antwi, a 14-year-old student of Datano Methodist JHS, was crowned the winner for the Amansie South District at the community level, representing Manso Adubea in the OCRC Competition.
She competed with over 30 other contestants and emerged as the District Champion.
Gloria Antwi received the Konahene Nana Konadu Yiadom Kumanin II Special Award of GHC500 Cedis for winning the contest. Her school, Datano Methodist JHS, also won the Tredehene Nana Nuben Sra III Special Award of GHC500 cedis. These cash prizes are provided to prepare the contestants for the Kumasi edition of the championship.
Speaking to Opemsuo News Reporter Kwaku Wusu Aduomi after winning the contest, the 14-year-old winner indicated that she loves reading, and when she heard of such a competition, she was eager to be part of it.
According to her, she is ever ready to compete with other contestants and also thanked the teachers who trained her for the competition.
On his part, the District Director of Education in the Amansie South District, Mr. Stephen Adu Darko, further thanked the Otumfuo Foundation for such an initiative to help boost the reading and confidence of the students.
He opined that the main purpose of education is to read and understand concepts. He noted that since both English and Twi are the most dominant primary languages in the country, OCRC is the best initiative to help students understand the basics and become more confident and fluent speakers.
The District Director of Education observed that among the 30 contestants who participated in the reading challenge, most students encountered difficulties with pronunciation, punctuation and phonetics. This clearly indicates that both teachers and students need to improve their reading skills.
Mr. Stephen Adu Darko finally praised Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his wonderful leadership and his total contribution to the Ghana Education service.
“Otumfuo has been a staunch advocate of peace, harmony, good leadership, and development in the country. May God continue to guide him so that we will continue to benefit from his leadership,” he stressed.
Story by Johnson Owusu Aduomi
