The 2016 edition of the National Science & Maths Quiz comes off from Monday, June 6 to Wednesday June 29, 2016 at the University of Ghana, Legon. This year’s edition would be the 21st in the history of the competition which started in 1993.
Competing this year would be 136 schools from the ten regions of Ghana. Out of these schools, 27 of them are seeded schools and would not compete at the preliminary stage, by virtue of having qualified to the quarter final stage in the 2015 edition of the competition. Therefore, 109 schools would compete at the preliminary stage.
These 109 schools represent winners of the various Regional Competitions organised across the country in January/February 2016. Unlike the 2015 edition where the top 27 schools with the highest scores from the Regional Competitions got a ticket straight to the one-eighth stage, Primetime, the brain behind the National Science & Maths Quiz, has indicated that all 109 Regional winners would compete at the Preliminary stage this year. This move is aimed at making the preliminary stage more exciting and giving all schools an equal playing field.
The 109 schools would compete in 36 contests, of which the winners would proceed to the one-eighth stage. However, of all losing schools at the preliminary stage, 18 of them with the highest scores would also have the chance of qualifying for the one-eighth stage, where they would meet the 27 seeded schools from the 2015 edition.
Another change this year’s edition of the competition would see is that the preliminary stage would take place simultaneously at two venues- the R.S. Amegashie Auditorium (UGBS) and the New N Block, both at the University of Ghana, Legon. To ensure the smooth running of the Preliminary stage, Primetime has introduced two new Quiz mistresses both of whom are lecturers at the University of Ghana to handle the Preliminary stage. Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, the main Quiz mistress will take over from the one-eighth stage.
Coupled with these adjustments is the introduction of a “Speed Race” where 12 questions posed can be attempted by the fastest school to press the buzzer. A correct answer on first attempt would fetch three points, two points for the second school to attempt it correctly and a point for the last school to answer correctly.
In the 2015 edition, Prempeh College won the competition, with Adisadel College and University Practice Senior High School placing second and third respectively.
The 2016 edition of the National Science & Maths Quiz promises to be very exciting and competitive. It is sponsored by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) and supported by GTP, RMG Ghana Limited and Citi FM.
