The National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) is the longest-running independent production on television in Ghana. The programme is very popular with not only its main target group – Senior High School students – but also with parents and, especially, with former students (old boys and girls), who take great pride in the performance of their schools on this programme.
Presbyterian Boys’ SHS, popularly known as the “Blues Magicians or simply, the Blues” increased their hopes of winning the trophy for the sixth time, after they qualified to the finals of this year’s edition of the NSMQ. Their unlucky contenders were Opoku Ware School and Adisadel College.
Opoku Ware School, after defeating University Practice Senior High School and Giant Slayers, St. Ignatius of Loyola at the Quarterfinals, was not able to withstand the pressure from the Blues.
At the end of a rather heated contest, the boys from Presec, Legon had secured a good 48 points, while Adisadel College and Opoku Ware School managed 34 points and SHS 31 points respectively.
The second contest which featured the defending champions, St Peters Senior High School, Wesley Girls’ High School and Tepa Senior High School was another keenly contested one, where all three schools gave their best, in order to push them to the finals. In the end, it was the defending champions who emerged winners with 48 points.
Although the ladies from Wesley Girls had a lot of support, they failed to shine in this contest, as they gave up in the very first round, when they could not manage to answer some of their questions. Tepa SHS, on the other hand, refused to give up, and fought boot for boot with St. Peter’s till the very end.
The last semi final contest which featured St Augustine’s College, Keta SHTS and Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS) saw St. Augistine’s sailing through, but not without a few struggles in the first three rounds of the contest. However, at the end of the Speed Race round, they were in the lead with 25 points, with their contenders Keta SHTS and GSTS trailing with 11 and 4 points respectively. Perhaps, this gave them the boost they needed, and enabled them win the contest, with the highest semifinal score of 53 points.
With the finals slated for July 11 at the National Theatre, all three schools are poised, and hope to make themselves and their schools proud.
The 2019 edition of the National Science & Maths Quiz and Science Festival is sponsored by the Ghana Education Service with support from GOIL, GCB Bank, Prudential Life Insurance Ghana, Academic City College, Adansi Travels, Kenya Airways, Medifem Multi-Specialist Hospital & Fertility Centre, Accra College of Medicine, Vimto, Aachen University, Newmont Goldcorp Ghana Entervarsity, Adesua.store, GTP, Hawtie Makeup, Chikas Beads and Pink Pearl.
