By Ernest Nutsugah, GNA
Accra, June 6, GNA – Accra Girls Senior High School (SHS) has emerged winner of the 2026 ACE Spoken Word Contest (World Cup-themed edition) held on Friday at the Cedi Conference Centre of the University of Ghana, Accra.
The school took home a trophy and a cash prize of GH¢7,000 after outperforming Christian International High School, Forces Senior High Technical School, and O’Reilly SHS, which placed first, second and third runners-up, respectively.
Sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and facilitated by ACE Consult, a premier study-abroad and career development agency, the annual contest brings together students from various schools to compete as writers, performers and critical thinkers.
The four schools advanced to the final stage from an initial pool of 27 schools that participated in the inaugural Accra edition of the competition.
This year’s contest was on the theme: “World Cup 2026: When the Whistle Blows, Borders Fade.”
The event showcased the creativity and artistic talents of students through spoken word performances centred on the theme.
Contestants also participated in quizzes on current affairs in Ghana, the United States and the FIFA World Cup.
The competition serves as a platform for nurturing confidence, critical thinking, creativity and effective communication among students.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, speaking at the event, reiterated the Government’s commitment to expanding educational infrastructure to eliminate the double-track system in senior high schools.
He disclosed that US$250 million out of a US$300 million World Bank facility would be invested in infrastructure development across the country.
“A number of districts will benefit from new schools, while others will receive technical and vocational education institutions.The schools represented in this final will also receive furniture,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu pledged the Ministry’s support for the expansion of the contest to all 16 regions of the country and commended ACE Consult for its commitment and investment in promoting spoken word and public speaking among students.
He highlighted the unifying power of sports, expressing confidence that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be peaceful and successful.
Congratulating the finalists, the Minister urged students to remain focused and ambitious in pursuing their goals.
“The future belongs to those who work tirelessly to create it. Grab future opportunities through hard work and dedication,” he advised.
Mr Matthew K. Asada, Acting Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, reaffirmed the U.S. Government’s commitment to making the 2026 FIFA World Cup an exciting and memorable event.
He said the Embassy had initiated several programmes to promote sporting culture and integrity ahead of the tournament and announced plans to organise local watch parties to build enthusiasm around the global football showpiece.
“We have been able to work with the Government of Ghana to increase visa availability and appointments so that people interested in travelling to the United States through the FIFA pass system can secure interview appointments at the Embassy,” Mr Asada said.
“We are very excited to be hosting some of the world’s biggest events, and this tournament is going to be spectacular.”
He noted that participants in the contest would have access to a range of educational resources and services to learn about higher education opportunities in the United States.
Ms Marilyn Owusu, Executive Director of ACE Consult, highlighted the positive impact of the contest on participants’ confidence, eloquence and public speaking skills.
She explained that the initiative began in 2024 with 17 public senior high schools in the Ashanti Region and had since grown with the vision of becoming a nationwide programme.
Ms Owusu encouraged parents to support the development of their children’s public speaking abilities and urged students to explore educational opportunities available in the United States.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Writer: Ernest Nutsugah
Email: [email protected]