The Defending Champions, Prempeh College, have once again booked a spot in the Finals of the National Championship. In a nerve-racking contest, they emerged winners over Mfantsipim School and Presbyterian SHS, Abetifi. The contest at the Saarah-Mensah Auditorium, KNUST, was the first of the Semifinals of the National Championship. Each school showed class and a positive character towards booking a place in the Grand Finale, however, Prempeh College had the best return on investment.
Appearing at the Semifinals for the first time, Presby SHS, Abetifi, were jittery in the first round having been sandwiched by two of the most elitist second-cycle institutions in Ghana in a brutal contest at the Semifinals of the National Championship. Although Prempeh College and Mfantsipim School did not get their first questions correctly, they were bold and optimistic about the succeeding rounds. After demonstrating a fixed mentality towards booking a Final spot, Mfantsipim School led the contest in Round One with twenty-one (21) points. Prempeh College followed closely with nineteen (19) points, and the first-timers in the Semifinals, Presby SHS, Abetifi, had twelve (12) points.
The Speed Race started with a biology question to all schools; “Give one reason why vinegar is used to preserve vegetables and fruits,” the Quiz Mistress read. In a bid to protect their points in the round, no one tried the question. A disappointed Prof. Kaufmann, the Quiz Mistress, indicated that vinegar is used to preserve fruits and vegetables because “the micro-organisms that cause food spoilage cannot survive in acids and sour conditions.” Although the contestants had a slow start in the second round, they reignited their passion and changed the pace of the contest. Prempeh College overtook Mfantsipim in this round by four (4) points.
In Round Three, all three schools were in their element. They approached the problem of the day head-on and dealt with it properly. All three schools had a perfect score and clung to the Prudential Life insurance NSMQ Star award worth GHC3,000. Presby SHS, Abetifi came into the limelight in Round Four. They surpassed Mfantsipim School and gave Prempeh College a good chase. At the end of Round Four, Mfantsipim SHS attained thirty-eight (38) points; Presby SHS, Abetifi, had forty (40) points; and Prempeh College had forty-three (43) points.
“The contest would be decided in the Fifth Round” the Quiz Mistress posited, after reading the scores for the close contest. Indeed, the competition was decided in the Fifth Round. After an impressive run in Round Five by all schools, Prempeh College showed why they are the Defending Champion. They maintained their vigour and carried the day slightly over Mfantsipim School and Presby SHS, Abetifi.
Prempeh College will face Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary, Legon and Adisadel College in the Grand Finale of the 2022 National Championship scheduled for Wednesday 26th October, 2022.
Here are the round-by-round scores of the contest at the Saarah-Mensah auditorium.
Round One – General questions on Chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics.
Prempeh College: 19
Mfantsipim School: 20
Presby SHS, Abetifi: 12
Round Two – The Speed Race
Prempeh College: 26
Mfantsipim School: 21
Presby SHS, Abetifi: 17
Round Three – Problem of the Day
Prempeh College: 36
Mfantsipim School: 31
Presby SHS, Abetifi: 27
Round Four – True or False
Prempeh College: 43
Mfantsipim School: 38
Presby SHS, Abetifi: 40
Round Five – Riddles
Prempeh College: 49
Mfantsipim School: 41
Presby SHS, Abetifi: 43
The 2022 edition of the National Science & Maths Quiz is sponsored by the Ghana Education Service, in partnership with Absa Bank, and supported by Joy News, GOIL, Prudential Life Insurance Ghana, AirtelTigo, Dano Milk, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Newmont Ghana, Accra College of Medicine, Academic City University College, Puma Drinks, YFM and Studio HD. This is a Primetime Production!
