At the end of the 2022 National Championship, Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School gallantly claimed their seventh NSMQ Title, but they were not the only award winners. A number of prizes were awarded to deserving contestants and teams.
Here’s a recap of all the Award Winners from last year’s edition of the Quiz.
Champions’ Prize Package
Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC – Legon) sealed their NSMQ dominance with a record seventh title, a deserved victory to confirm their place as the “Kings of the NSMQ.” In addition to the NSMQ Trophy and seven Gold Medals to the Quiz team, the #NSMQ2022 Champions received a total package of GH₵70,000, broken down as GH₵30,000 to the school (Sponsored by the GES), GH₵20,000 to the team of contestants (Sponsored by Absa) and GH₵20,000 to the team of teachers (Sponsored by Absa).
At the Grand Finale, PRESEC-Legon also received an additional GH₵10,000.00 as the AirtelTigo Highest Scorer Award (Sponsored by AirtelTigo). They also earned GH₵3,200 for solving three out of four Riddles in the GOIL Riddle Bonanza at the Finale.
Prize Package for Runners-up
Prempeh College, the first runners-up, received a total package of GH₵50,000, divided as GH₵20,000 to the school (Sponsored by the GES), GH₵15,000 to the team of contestants (Sponsored by Absa) and GH₵15,000 to the team of teachers (Sponsored by Absa). The team was also presented with seven silver medals for the three contestants and for four subject teachers (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics).
For placing third, Adisadel College earned a total package of GH₵35,000, dispensed as GH₵15,000 to the school (Sponsored by the GES), GH₵10,000 to the team of contestants (Sponsored by Absa) and GH₵10,000 to the team of teachers (Sponsored by Absa). The team also received seven bronze medals for the three contestants and for four subject teachers (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics).
Semi-finalists’ Prize Package
Each of the six schools that made it to the Semi-finals but could not progress to the Grand Finale was awarded a total package of GH₵8,000, with GH₵3,000 allocated to the school (Sponsored by the GES), GH₵2,500 to the team of contestants and GH₵2,500 to the team of teachers.
The six Semi-finalists from NSMQ 2022 were Abetifi Presby SHS, Mfantsipim School, St. James Seminary SHS, Opoku Ware School, St. Augustine’s College and Kumasi High School.
Special Awards
Each year, a number of Special Awards are presented to NSMQ teams for their impressive performances in that edition. For the 2022 National Championship, the following schools received Special Awards:
- Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu Award for the Most Impressive Run: Assin State College
This award – a cash prize of GH₵7,000 – instituted in 2018, to the “less-endowed school” that goes the farthest or causes the biggest upset, went to the contestants of Assin State College. Dr Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu presented this award to the contestants of Assin State College, a Grade C school that started their campaign from the Regional Qualifiers and made it to the Quarter-finals, where they almost beat Adisadel College, losing by a two-point margin. - The Jacob and Elizabeth Banful Memorial Award for the Most Impressive Run: Teachers of Assin State College
This award, also instituted in 2018 by the Banful Family in memory of their parents who were teachers, went to teachers of Assin State College. This award, a cash prize of GH₵10,000 aims to reward the teachers from the “less-endowed school” that goes the farthest, or causes the biggest upset in the competition and is a complement to the Dr. Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu Award for the Most Impressive Run. Prof. Ben Banful, Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, KNUST, presented this award.
- Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu Award for the Most Outstanding Female Contestant: Ms. Afua Yedzene Emenyo Doe-Kiinnii, a contestant of Mawuli School, who played a key role in the school’s qualification from the Regional Qualifiers all through to the Quarter-finals, won this award and received a cash prize of GH₵5,000. This was presented by Ms. Nana Akua Mensa-Bonsu, on behalf of her mother, Her Lordship Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
- Marian Ewurama Addy Award for the Best Team: Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School won this award, instituted by Mr. Bubune Adih (NSMQ 1999 Champion, Mfantsipim School) in 2015. They received a cash prize of GH₵5,000.
- Newmont Ghana Golden Journey Award: Abetifi Presbyterian SHS won this prize, aimed at rewarding a “less-endowed” school that braved all odds to excel in the competition. Their journey in the competition was indeed golden. At the Eastern Regional Qualifiers, they eliminated four (4) schools, including Ofori Panin SHS. They won their Preliminary Stage contest with 53pts, and eliminated Sonrise Christian SHS and Kumasi Wesley Girls’ High School to book their first-ever Quarter-final appearance.
With 51pts, they eliminated Osei Kyeretwie SHS and Ghanata SHS at the Quarter-finals, making it to the Semi-finals, where they lost to Prempeh College, placing second in the contest, with Mfantsipim School placing third. To reward this golden journey, the school received a cash prize of GH₵20,000. - Dano Inner Strength Award: Assin State College
The Dano Inner Strength Award, in honour of the courage, resilience and tenacity of a “less-endowed school” that worked hard to reach the Quarter-finals was won by Assin State College. For winning this prize, Assin State College would receive GH₵5,000 worth of Dano Milk products.
- Educational experience at Zipline Academy: Contestants of Assin State College won a four-week educational experience, which saw them receive practical training on all of Zipline’s operations.
- Goil Prize for the Most Decent and Exciting Cheering School: Adisadel College received fuel worth GH₵2,000.00 for their exciting “jama” songs at the Grand Finale.
- AirtelTigo Prize for the Best Performing Lesser-Known School: Abetifi Presbyterian SHS won the maiden edition of this prize instituted by AirtelTigo. The school received an AirtelTigo Business Router (with FlexiNet Data for five months), while each contestant also received an AirtelTigo MiFi (with 10GB Data).
Scholarships
Finally, the NSMQ 2022 journey ended with scholarships to a number of students from competing schools. The following were some of the Scholarship Packages on offer:
- Academic City University College Presidential Scholarship: Benjamin Eyram Degbey (St. James Seminary SHS)
At the Grand Finale, Austin Afutu of Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School received the Presidential Scholarship, worth $40,000 to read Biomedical Engineering at the University, after interviews were conducted prior to the Grand Finale. However, he later turned down the offer, as he preferred to study Pharmacy instead. Hence, after another set of interviews, Benjamin Eyram Degbey of St. James Seminary SHS was offered this scholarship. The scholarship package includes tuition, accommodation, feeding, a laptop and a monthly stipend.
2. Accra College of Medicine Tuition Scholarship: Michaelina Appiah (St. Mary’s SHS, Accra) received a full tuition medical school scholarship worth $75,000. She emerged as the most successful candidate, out of nearly 60 other contestants who sat for an entrance examination and a selection interview.
3. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation Scholarship: Anthony Kweku Dodo (Assin State College)
The Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation offered a full scholarship package for one NSMQ contestant to pursue a course in either Medicine, Engineering or Mathematics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology. Assin State College’s Anthony Dodu received this prize after a round of selection interviews and essays. He will be reading Telecommunication Engineering at KNUST.
The 2022 edition of the National Science & Maths Quiz was 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!
