The Sekyere Kumawu edition of the Otumfuo Community Reading Challenge took place on Thursday, July 17 2025, drawing participation from 38 Junior High Schools across the district. Organised by the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation, the event aimed to nurture a culture of literacy and academic excellence among schoolchildren, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities.
Held at the Tweneboah Koduah Senior High School, the competition featured reading exercises in both English and Asante Twi. Students from public and private schools engaged in intense rounds of reading and comprehension, demonstrating both fluency and cultural pride.
The District Director of Education for Sekyere Kumawu, Mr. Kwame Oduro-Owusu, delivered the welcome address. He reaffirmed his commitment to improving literacy standards in the district, stating that reading was central to his educational vision. Mr. Kwame Oduro-Owusu projected to win the overall national title in the 2025 edition of the Otumfuo Community Reading Challenge. With strengthened efforts and continued stakeholder support, Sekyere Kumawu hopes to showcase the academic excellence of its young readers on the national stage. He thanked heads of schools and teachers for preparing the contestants and encouraged the students to take pride in representing their schools.
Chairing the event was Mr. Abdulai Ali, Assistant Headmaster in charge of Administration. In his remarks, he urged the participating schools to take reading seriously and incorporate it into their daily routines, describing it as a lifelong skill essential for personal and academic growth.
Twelve schools advanced to the next round after scoring 20 points or more out of 30 in the first round of competition. At the end of the challenge, Randy Boakye Yiadom of Bodomase St. Stephen R/C JHS emerged as the overall winner.
He was crowned District Champion and will go on to represent Sekyere Kumawu in the next stage of the national reading competition.
Second place went to Eliasu Faisal of Kumawu Benevolent Islamic JHS, while third place was claimed by Goergina Agyekumhene of Otuo Acheampong International School. All 38 participating schools received certificates of participation, and the top 12 schools received special certificates of merit for their outstanding performance.
Celebrations erupted in Bodomase following the announcement of the winner. Mr. Jude Owusu Brefo, Headmaster of Bodomase St. Stephen R/C JHS, together with the School Improvement Support Officer (SISO) Mr. George Konadu, the school’s Local Manager Rev. Fr. Peter Kusi Twumasi, teachers, and pupils expressed overwhelming joy. The Otumfuo Reading Challenge continues to play a transformative role in promoting literacy, cultural identity, and youth empowerment across Ghana.
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