Most Ghanaians and for that matter parents and guardians will agree with me that for the past few months, their wards, especially those in Senior High Schools (SHS) have been kept active and alive due to this popular television programme dubbed, “National Science and Mathematics Quiz” (NSMQ) competition, the last one being the finals, which took place at the premises of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on Friday, November 26, 2021, in Kumasi.
This live and attractive programme on the national television screen kept these young lads, parents and guardians, teachers, lecturers and past students of various Senior High Schools across the country, glued to their television sets to watch the programme with attentive minds as it has usually been competitive and keenly contested by representatives of various schools.

NATIONAL SCIENCE AND MATHS QUIZ AND BRAINS BEHIND
The programme had been interesting with the competitors displaying youthful exuberance, wisdom, brain racking, dexterity, smartness, intelligence and good skills among other positive attributes. The students are delight to watch and the standing ovation from their supporters speaks volume of the programme.
For the benefit of my readers, patrons and Ghanaians in general who did not know how this particular programme came about and has now gained currency on media landscape and the country in general, it is important to trace the background of how it all started to the present state.
We are told that the idea for the production of quiz programme aimed at encouraging the study of science and mathematics was not mooted at a national science fair or conference. Rather, it happened at a tennis court of the University of Ghana, Legon.
Mr Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu, then the Managing Director of Primetime, was at the court to play the game after his own heart with his playmates, the late Professor Marian Ewurama Addy and Ebenezer Kweku Awotwe. Mr Mensa-Bonsu was then curious as to why birds could stand on a live electricity wire without getting electrocuted, but humans could not do same. From Professor Awotwe’s explanation, Mr Mensa-Bonsu got the idea of putting together a quiz programme on science and mathematics. That was how it all began in 1993 since then, the National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ) has witnessed a number of exciting editions each year.

HOW POPULAR HAS THE PROGRAMME BEEN?
The programme, as we are told, is the largest running independent production on television in Ghana. It is very popular with not only its main target group- Senior High School students- but also with parents, especially with former students (Old boys and girls) who take pride in the performance of their schools on this programme. Some of the old students even pit camps in drinking bars and restaurants watching the programme collectively while they enjoyed themselves and teased one another. It has been a spectacular and delight to watch this interesting programme as it unfolds on our screens.
The objective of the NSNQ has been to promote the study of the sciences and mathematics, help students develop quick thinking and a probing scientific mind about things around them, while fostering healthy academic rivalry among senior high schools. Without doubt, these aims and objectives have been fully realised or achieved to a large extent.
The quiz, popularly referred to as “brilla” by many who have gone through the secondary school system, is by far one of the few academic events that bring all of Ghana’s secondary schools together.

INTRODUCTION OF WEST AFRICAN VERSION OF NSMQ
It will interest readers and patrons of this particular column to know that because of the popularity of the programme in Ghana, efforts were made in 2007 to introduce a West African version of the programme known as the West African Science and Mathematics Quiz for Anglophone West Africa which was launched in Accra. The maiden edition featured three teams each from Ghana and Nigeria which went down well. The maiden edition, we are told, was won by Ghana. However, due to sponsorship issues, the programme could not be sustained beyond its first year, although the organisers hope to bring the programme back in the near future.
The good news is that the Primetime programme sponsors, is expecting to build in a Science Fair component to the programme, so as to make it a more science and mathematics festival which would then become even bigger and more interesting for the students to participate in it. It is believed that this will encourage students to put what they learn in the classroom to practice and, therefore, help them to become innovative.

PAST WINNERS OF THE NSMQ
Since the programme began in 1993, the past winners have been, Prempeh College, !994, Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, 1995, Prempeh College, 1996, Opoku Ware, 1997, Achimota School, 1998, Mfantsipim , 1999, St Peters Senior Hugh School, Nkwatia, 2,000, Pope John Senior High School, 2001, Opoku Ware , 2002, Presbyterian Boys, Legon, 2003, Achimota’s Senior High School, 2004, St Peters, Nkwatia, 2005, Presbyterian Boys, Legon, 2006, St Augustine’s College, 2007, Presbyterian Boys, Legon, 2008, Presbyterian Boys, Legon 2009.
The programme went on a recess for two years, 2010, 2011, and upon resumption in 2012, Ghana Secondary Technical School, Takoradi, emerged winners. In 2013, St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School won, then Mfantsipim, 2014, Prempeh College, 2015, Adisadel College, 2016, Prempeh College, 2017, St Peter’s Senior High School, Nkwatia, 2018, St Augustine’s College, 2019, Presbyterian Boys, 2020 and Prempeh College, 2021 in that order.
Currently Presbyterian Secondary School,Legon tops the table with six wins, followed by Prempeh College with five wins. It is significant to note that this year’s competition was very keen, especially the finals in which the debutant and defending champion, Presbyterian Secondary School, Legon, came face to face with Prempeh College, the four times winners and Keta Senior High Technical School, who had shown remarkable strides from the beginning. In the final analysis, Prempeh College showed their class by emerging winners of this year’s competition. I must say that Keta Senior High Technical School deserves commendation especially, the female member of the team, Francisca Lamini, who exhibited finesse and quality in the whole competition. All the participating schools must be commended for good work done.

SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE INITIATORS OF NSMQ
In 2017, this programme was adjudged the TV programme of the year during the CIMG Award ceremony. Lest I forget, it is important to pay special tribute to the initiators of this popular and interesting educative programme for their foresight and fortitude. Although some of them are dead and gone, their spirit and souls continue to remain supreme and by now they will be turning in their graves to see that the baby they brought forth had been nurtured to grow into adulthood as this programme continues to excel across the entire country. Other professors who inherited them as quiz masters and are still active deserve a lot of praises for making the programme what it is today.
The programme sponsors as well as the television stations that continue to beam or televise the competition across the country, also deserve a lot of commendation.

THE ENTIRE BENEFITS OF THE NSMQ TO THE YOUTH
The youth of today, are often glued to television and mobile phones watching all kinds of dirty and obscene programmes as well as pornographic materials with no benefit to themselves but rather to facilitate their destruction. It is a fact that they need more of such educative programmes on our television screens for a good cause. I will use my column to appeal for more sponsorship of such educative programmes on our screens from corporate entities, well-meaning establishments and philanthropic organisations and individuals to shape the lives of our teeming youth and make them more responsible and productive.
The youth are the country’s future asset and they must be supported to grow to take up the mantle of leadership of our country. This article cannot end properly without warning those who have issued death threats against the quiz mistress, Dr. Elsie Kauffman, to be careful with their wicked plans since she did her work with perfection.
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By Charles Neequaye