Francis Osei Boamah, a 15-year-old student of Boaman Nkwantakese D/A Junior High School in the Afigya Kwabre District of Ashanti Region has won the Silver Jubilee edition of the Otumfuo Community Reading Challenge.
Francis who represented Boaman Community in the grand finale of the reading challenge under the auspices of Otumfuo Osei Tutu Foundation, took home the ultimate cash prize of 10 thousand Ghana Cedis, a plaque and a scholarship to pursue tertiary education in any public university of the country.
The Otumfuo Community Reading Challenge is one of the flagship programmes initiated by the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation in 2021, organised specially for junior high school pupils to promote reading in English and Asante Twi, thereby encouraging positive reading habits among the youth.
The Challenge is conducted in 60 selected communities within Asanteman.
The grand finale was a contest of four girls and one boy who represented Boaman, Feyiase, Twedie, Mampong and Mankranso all in the Ashanti Region.
Francis recorded a top score of 96.7 points to snatch the ultimate prize of 10 thousand Ghana Cedis.
Maame Twumwaa Baffour Antwi of Feyiase D/A JHS in the Bosomtwe District earned 96.2 to be on second with cash prize of five thousand Ghana cedis.
Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko, urged the students to cultivate the habit of reading and also practice multilingualism to promote quality education.
He entreated stakeholders to provide the necessary support for the country’s socio-economic transformation.
Otumfuo’s Hiahene, Nana Professor Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, said the reading challenge initiative signals Asantehene’s commitment to ensuring access to quality education in Ghana.
He said the competition and all other projects of the Foundation is a testimony of the unfading commitment of Otumfuo Osei Tutu towards seeking multiple avenues to provide and ensure access to quality education.