The Zongo community in Kumasi is expressing concern about the underperformance of Islamic schools in the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ).

Despite the NSMQ being in existence for over three decades, no Islamic school has succeeded in reaching the finals or winning the trophy, causing worry within the community.

To address this issue, Hakia Consult, in collaboration with the Islamic Education Unit in Kumasi, is organizing a quiz competition specifically for Islamic Junior High Schools. The primary goal is to better prepare students for future NSMQ competitions.

The Chief Executive Officer of Hakia Consult, Abubakar Umar Hasan, stressed that the competition aims to encourage teaching and learning, motivate young Muslim students to strive for academic excellence, and serve as a platform to groom them for success in the NSMQ at the Senior High School level.

"Over the nearly three decades of the National Science and Maths Quiz, no Islamic school has even reached the finals, let alone won. If you see a Muslim student at the final, they are representing other schools," he stated.

During the launch of the competition at the Islamic Education Unit, headteachers praised the initiative, recognizing its potential to enhance academic excellence. However, they also highlighted challenges such as insufficient teaching and learning materials in their schools, impacting the academic performance of students compared to other institutions.

Headteachers appealed to both the government and non-governmental organizations to provide support to improve academic resources in Islamic schools.

Several students representing their schools emphasized that the competition would strengthen their academic excellence and urged the government to provide the necessary materials to support their learning process.

The inaugural quiz competition is expected to include 81 Islamic Junior High Schools from nine zonal areas in the Ashanti Region, aligning with the theme "inspiring excellence through competition."