A week full of competitive contests. This year’s preliminary stage of the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) has seen so much excitement, dejection and rivalry as compared to previous years. People kept on asking “are we really in the preliminary stage?” and of course yes! We were.

The preliminary stage took place at three auditoriums in Kumasi which had three to four contests every day. These auditoriums are the Sarah Mensah Auditorium, Kumaplay Auditorium and the KNUST SHS Great Hall auditorium.

The sad scenes this year came from the eviction of Afua Kobi Girls Senior High school as they lost to Nandom SHS with a very close margin. The tears from St. Mary’s Girls SHS as they lost by 5 points as against Anlo SHS. Again, the unexpected victory of Toase SHS against Labone SHS by just a point to make it to the one-eight stage.

The exciting moments were captured when Yaa Asantewaa Girls made it to the one-eight stage after beating Nkwatia Presby and Kintampo SHS. Mfantsipim School joining several other schools to the one-eight stage came in as another memorable moment for the “Botwe” boys as they have been kicked out consistently in the last 3 years.

Amidst all these protests came from several schools as a means of getting their concerns met. Not forgetting the protest from West Africa SHS against Mfantsipim School, that of Abetifi Presby Senior high against Acherensua SHS and lastly that of the Krobo Girls and St. Mary’s SHS, Kenyase.

Kumasi High School put up a good performance by leading the score sheet from round 1 to round 5 of their contest. How can we forget the energetic moments that came from Osei Tutu Boys Senior high as they kept the auditorium charged by chasing every bonus question that came to them to lead the score sheet.

Again, some exciting moments were captured at the KNUST SHS auditorium as onerous contests were put up by some female schools like Yaa Asantewaa, St. Mary’s SHS, Krobo Girls and Afua Kobi SHS.

Fortunately for some first runner-up schools with higher marks at the end of each contest at the preliminary stage, they will have the opportunity to join their colleagues at the one-eight stage should they make it to the top of the tie breaker contests.

Some heart-wrenching moments involved Breman SHS not believing that they had been evicted by Krobo Girls SHS, and University Practice SHS wining their contest against Presby SHS and EPC Mawuko SHS with a whopping 79 points.

This year, the preliminary stage was undoubtedly exciting and very competitive. The audience showed support and collaboration.

After several observations, one can say that the stages ahead of the contest would see the introduction of new developments as against previous years.