Prepared by: Kamal Hafizi Bin Kamarulizam

19 January 2025, Serdang – Academic and Intellectual Development Secretariat , College Representative Council, Tan Sri Mustaffa Babjee College session 2024/2025, in collaboration with the Centre for the Advancement of Language Competence (CALC), Universiti Putra Malaysia, organized Putra Wizarding Bee 3.0: The Spelling Showdown program at Dataran Kolej Tan Sri Mustaffa Babjee (KTMB). This program is a university-level English spelling competition that aims to enrich students' vocabulary, increase self-confidence, and hone decision-making skills in a competitive atmosphere. A total of 27 students from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) residential colleges participated in this program, with the support of more than 100 supporters from around UPM.

We are honored to have Othman Bin Abdul Kareem, Nor Hafizah Anwardeen, and Sarah Syazana Baharuddin from Centre For The Advancement of Language Competence (CALC), UPM  as jury members for our program. All esteemed educators at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), they bring a wealth of experience in English language education, public speaking, and professional communication. Sir Othman, a dedicated lecturer since 2011, specializes in IELTS, MUET, and academic training, while Madam Nor Hafizah, with over 15 years of experience, focuses on ESL, curriculum development, and student engagement. Madam Sarah Syazana, a HRDCorp Certified Trainer, has been teaching at UPM since 2010, excelling in curriculum design and academic writing. Their passion for teaching and commitment to excellence make them invaluable contributors to our event.

The event began at 9.00 am with a registration and briefing session for participants. The competition continued with a preliminary session that took place at 10.30 am, where participants had to spell words at an easy difficulty level. Each participant was given a limited time to spell each word given. They were divided into three groups for the preliminary session, which selected the top five participants from each group. Only the top 15 participants were selected to advance to the next stage.

Participants are ready to start the competition

Preliminary round

At 12.30 pm, the semi-final session began. At this stage, the participants were tested with intermediate difficulty level words, to ensure that only the top eight participants qualified for the next stage. The competition at this stage was fierce with each participant trying to give their best effort, with unwavering moral support from the audience

Semi-final round

Judges was giving a word (question) for the spelling participant

After a break at 2.00 pm, the competition continued with the final round involving the top eight participants. At this stage, they were tested with hard difficulty level words, and each participant showed a high level of confidence and skill in front of the audience. After completing the thrilling final round, the top three participants were recognized as the winners of Putra Wizarding Bee 3.0.

Final Round

The winners

The closing ceremony began at 3.00 pm with a speech from the College Principal Tan Sri Mustaffa Babjee, followed by a speech from the Director of Putra Wizarding Bee 3.0; The Spelling Showdown Program. The event continued with a prize presentation session to the winners, judges, and all parties involved in appreciation for their cooperation in making this program a success. The program ended with a photo session with the participants, winners, and committee members.

Committee members

End of the program

According to the program director, Kamal Hafizi Bin Kamarulizam,”The Putra Wizarding Bee was designed not only as a spelling competition, but as a celebration of knowledge, perseverance, and self-confidence. Recognizing the need for students to widely access works in the English language, we strive through this program to support students in mastering language, expanding their vocabulary, and refining critical and creative thinking skills." The program not only succeeded in achieving its objectives but also left a positive impression on the participants and the audience.

Date of Input: 12/02/2025 | Updated: 12/02/2025 | s_syazana