St. Augustine’s College from Cape Coast has won the 2019 National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ) competition after a 12-year drought.
This adds to the trophy they won in 2007, putting them at par with the likes of Achimota School, Mfantsipim School and Opoku Ware Senior High School (OWASS) on two trophies each.
The Augusco boys, as they are popularly called, scored a total of 39 points to beat two other strong contenders – both serial winners – after five rounds moderated by Dr. Esi Kauffman, the Quiz Mistress.
Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (Presec) in Accra was second with 36 points, while St. Peter’s Senior High School (Persco) from Nkwatia-Kwahu had 25 points.
St. Augustine’s College, in addition to having the bragging right and a trophy for a year, was awarded with GH¢40,000, while the contestants and teachers got GH¢20,000 each.
Augusco team coordinator Isaac Adomako said they were in for the finals, “knowing that we have to beat any opponent that comes our way.”
“We have not won many trophies because we haven’t been doing some things right, but we have learnt our lessons coming into the finals. Hard work has been our secret weapon and we knew that we will be the victors by God’s grace,” he said.
First runner-up, Presec, that has won the contest five times, received GH¢30,000, while the teachers and contestants got GH¢17,000 each.
Reigning champions, St. Peters Senior High School, was awarded GH¢20,000 for its effort, while the students and teachers got GH¢15,000 each as well.
The Journey
After months of preparation, weeks of nail-biting contests and renewal of academic rivalries, it all came down to the big event yesterday at the National Theatre in Accra.
All the three schools displayed a variety of skills and formidability in their journey to the final.
Only St Augustine’s came from the qualifiers to reach this stage. Presec-Legon and St Peter’s were seeded from the 2018 competition because they reached the quarter-final.
They approached questions bordering on any sphere of life with the same dexterity and brilliance with which they answered the complex science and maths questions during the quiz.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
