Ghana National Science and Maths Quiz

The National Science and Maths Quiz is an annual science and mathematics based national level quiz competition for senior high schools. It has been produced by Primetime Limited, an advertising and PR Agency, with a huge interest in education, since 1993.

History

It began in 1993. Sponsored by Unilever Ghana, makers of Brillant Soap, it was then known as the Brillant Science and Mathematics Quiz. Second cycle institutions were invited to take part in the programme. It involved three contestants from each school and two schools competing at a time and was broadcast on GTV every Saturday at 11am.

The schools were divided into two groups based on their Geographical location. Schools in the Central Region, Greater Accra Region, Western Region, Volta region and Eastern Region were placed into the Southern Sector whereas those from the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions were placed in the Northern Sector.

A total of 36 schools were invited to participate with 18 from each sector (maiden tournament featured 32 schools,^[1] 16 from each sector). The first three tournaments (1994, 1995, 1996) which utilized this format (Northern and Southern Sector) were won by Prempeh College (1994 and 1996) and Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School (1995). In 1997, the geographical sector system was abandoned. Interestingly, two northern sector schools; Opoku Ware School and Prempeh College made it to the finals. Opoku Ware School won the tournament in 1997.

The programme was hosted by Prof Marian Ewurama Addy from 1993 until 2000. Mrs (now Dr.) Eureka Emefa Adomako, of the Dept. of Botaany, University of Ghana took over from Prof Addy as quiz mistress from 2001-2005. She then left to pursue postgraduate studies and was replaced by Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Ghana in 2006.

In 1998, the tournament became known as the National Science & Maths Quiz, when it lost its sponsorship from Brillant. A couple of sponsors came on board after Brillant's exit - Amstel Malt, the GetFund (a government funding institution). The tournament was not organized in 2010 and 2011 due to sponsorship issues. It returned in 2012 with major changes in the quiz structure and rules.

From 2012, the GES, through the Conference of Heads of Assisted Schools, CHASS, took up the sponsorship of the programme. Thus, the competition was opened up to many more schools to participate. In 2013, 66 out of the 81 invited schools participated. In 2014, the number of schools was increased to 135 to give the programme a truly national character. From 2014, 108 schools are selected from regional competitions to join 27 seeded schools (quarter-finalists from the previous year's competition) at the National Championships.

Three schools compete on each contest and each school is represented by two contestants. The quiz mistress is Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann.

Quiz structure

The programme, involving 67 contests, is shown on GTV on Wednesdays at 4pm and on Saturdays at 11am. Currently, every contest is composed of four rounds with the following rules:

• Round 1 — The round of fundamental questions. Each contesting school receives 4 Biology, 4 Chemistry, 4 Physics and 4 Mathematics questions, totaling 16 to answer. A wrongly answered question may be carried over as a bonus. Partial credit is sometimes possible.

• Round 2 — Problem of the day! The contestants are required to solve a single questions within 3 minutes. This question is worth 10 points.

• Round 3 — True or False statements are given to the contestants in turns. The objective is to determine whether each statement is true or false. A correctly answered question fetches 2 points. A wrongly answered questions attracts a penalty of -1 point. One may decide not to answer a question, in which case it will be carried over as a bonus for the full benefit of the two points.

• Round 4 — Riddles; Clues are given to the contesting schools. The schools are to compete against each other to find the answers to the riddles. Getting the correct answer on the first clue fetches 5 points. On the second clue, 4 points. On the third or any other succeeding clue, 3 points. There are 4 riddles in all

Results

• The winner for 1993 is not stated because the Southern Sector competition was held in October 1993, while the Northern Sector and Champion of Champions competitions were held in early 1994. Thus, the winners stated here (1994-1997) are the winners of the Champion of Champions trophy.

See also

List of senior secondary schools in Ghana

References