Education

AUGUSCO crowned 2019 NMSQ champions

St Augustine’s College (AUGUSCO) yesterday ended its 12-year National Science and Maths Quiz (NMSQ) trophy drought, after emerging winners of this year’s competition.

The Cape Coast-based college beat Presbyterian Boys Senior High School Legon (PRESEC) and defending champions St Peter’s Senior High School (PERSCO) to record its second NSMQ win since its maiden victory in 2007.

After a fiercely contested finale, AUGUSCO bagged 39 to thrash their closest contender Legon-PRESEC with a difference of five points, at the end of the final round while PERSCO‘looked on’ with 25 points.

Aside the newly customised NMSQ trophy and the bragging right, AUGUSCO, their team and school took home several prizes, including a trip to Dubai, certificate, scholarships and cash.

Other competing schools were also awarded cash prizes and scholarships.

Throughout the competition the National Theatre filled to capacity with students, teachers and old students who, adorned with their school’s paraphernalia, chanted ‘Jama’ songs to give ‘morale’ to their schools.

Those who could not be at the venue monitored the competition via television, radio and online while running commentary and ‘trolling’ their opponents on social media.

In dramatic turn of events, some students and affiliates of PERSCO, realising that it was the end of the road for their school, threw their weight behind AUGUSCO and cheered them to victory.

The all boys’ schools rose over more than 100 other competing schools from the regional stage to the one-eighth stage then to the quarter finals through to the semi-final and the grand finale to claim a place.

The Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in a speech read on his behalf said the government under the direction of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) was taking pragmatic steps to reform the educational curriculum with significant emphasis on Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

He noted that a nation’s development was hastened and sustained when infrastructure, technology among others were improved upon.

The sector minister lauded the organisers of the event Primetime Limited for their continuous support to the development of science and mathematics in the country.

On her part, Nana Akua Ankomah-Asare, Managing Director, Primetime Limited, said the objective of the NMSQ was to promote standard and popularity of Science and maths in senior high schools to develop the quick thinking of students as well as promoting a healthy academic rivalry between SHS.

Since its inception in 1993, the NSMQ had thrived to become an important event on the academic calendar of SHSs in the country.

BY ALLIA NOSHIE AND MALISA TETTEH

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