High Schools

Achimota School Secures First Grand Finale Spot in 2023 NSMQ Semi-finals

19th October 2023

Ferdinand | EducationGhana | October 19 |Achimota School Secures First Grand Finale Spot in 2023 NSMQ Semi-finals

“Achimota School outperforms rivals St. Louis SHS and Wesley Girls’ High School in the 2023 NSMQ semi-finals, securing a spot in the highly anticipated Grand Finale.”

Accra, Ghana – The Saarah-Mensah Auditorium was electrified today as the semi-finals of NSMQ 2023 took place. It was a day that brought together the best schools, the “creme de la creme,” who competed intensely for the coveted opportunity to advance to the grand finale. This intellectual showdown witnessed St. Louis SHS, Achimota School, and Wesley Girls’ Senior High School battling head-to-head for supremacy.

The Saarah-Mensah Auditorium was packed with enthusiastic spectators who filled the seats, demonstrating their unwavering support for the competing schools. This gripping competition was expertly moderated by the esteemed Quiz Mistress, Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann. As the competition reached its conclusion, Achimota School emerged as the undisputed frontrunner, maintaining an unbeaten record.

The 30th Anniversary edition of the National Science & Maths Quiz commenced on October 6, 2023, adding an exciting element to the 30th Anniversary celebrations. This year’s NSMQ is unique in that it is hosted in two distinct regions: KNUST in Kumasi and the National Theatre in Accra. This marks the first time the National Championship has been extended across two regions. KNUST served as the venue for the preliminary four stages, with the Grand Finale scheduled to take place at the National Theatre.

The competition kicked off with two questions answered successfully by both St. Louis and Achimota, as scored by the astute Quiz Mistress. St. Louis secured additional points by correctly answering a bonus question intended for Wesley Girls. However, Wesley Girls initially encountered difficulties, offering two incorrect answers to the professor’s queries.

As the competition advanced, Wesley Girls improved their performance, but they could not match the early brilliance displayed by the other schools. Notably, out of the five bonuses secured by Achimota School, three were originally intended for Wesley Girls, and two for St. Louis.

Wesley Girls had the highest number of incorrect answers in the first round despite their initial enthusiasm. As the competition neared its end, Achimota School emerged as the champion with 22 points. St. Louis secured the second position with 15 points, while Wesley Girls encountered difficulties and ended up with just eight (8) points, taking the last spot on the scoreboard.

The subsequent Speed Race favoured Achimota School, even though Wesley Girls made an early substitution during this stage. In this round, the first and third questions went unanswered by all three schools. St. Louis faced a challenge when they failed to answer a question correctly in their initial attempt, resulting in a subtraction of one point each.

In the Problem of the Day segment, a challenging biology question was presented to all the schools. Unfortunately, the question proved too formidable for St. Louis, resulting in a score of zero out of 10 for this round. Wesley Girls excelled in this round, securing the top position with four out of 10. Achimota School, which had been leading earlier, came in second place for this segment with just two out of 10 points.

The highly contested True/False Stage appeared comfortable for all schools, as most of the professor’s queries were expertly handled. A substitution was made by Achimota during this round. In the end, St. Louis and Wesley Girls scored 23 and 31 points, respectively, with Achimota maintaining an impressive lead of 38 points.

The Riddles added an intriguing dimension to the competition, with Achimota School securing an additional point by correctly answering a riddle. This elevated their score from 38 points in the fourth round to a significant 41 points by the end of the contest. Achimota’s victory not only secured them a place in the Grand Finale but also earned them a cash prize of GHS 600 from Goil, awarded for solving just one riddle.

St. Louis also received recognition and a Goil Bonanza cash prize of GHS 600 for correctly solving one riddle. Their journey in the competition concluded with a total of 23 points, following a commendable performance that had begun in the preliminary rounds.

Wesley Girls outperformed St. Louis but couldn’t surpass the intellectual prowess of the boys, securing second place with a total score of 31 points at the end of the day’s intellectual challenge.

The NSMQ is a prestigious academic competition that tests the knowledge and skills of students in science and mathematics. It is one of the most popular and competitive events in Ghana, and it attracts a large audience of students, teachers, and parents.

Achimota School’s victory in the semi-finals is a testament to the hard work and dedication of its students and teachers. The school has a long history of excellence in the NSMQ, having won the competition on nine previous occasions.

The grand finale of the 2023 NSMQ will take place on October 31, 2023, at the National Theatre in Accra. Achimota School will compete against two other schools for the coveted title of champion.