St. Thomas Aquinas SHS, a boys day school in Accra, emerged winners of the 2013 edition of the National Science and Maths Quiz held at the University of Ghana campus on Tuesday. They beat five-time champions, Legon PRESEC also in Accra and Mfantsiman Girls SHS from Saltpond in a keenly contested final. Each of the finalists - Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, Mfantsiman Girls Senior High School and Saint Thomas Aquinas Senior High School – presented two contestants who showed their determination to win the coveted trophy. Presbyterian Boys who have won the competition five times were naturally expected to repeat their feat a sixth time, but the jinx was broken. St. Thomas Aquinas showed their eagerness to carry the day right from the first round where they came top with 33 points, ahead of PRESEC who followed closely with 30 points and Mfantsiman third with 21 points. The next round had all schools putting up a good performance but by the last round, it was obvious the competition was between Aquinas and PRESEC, leaving Mfantsiman Girls behind. At the end of the third round both boys schools had 56 points requiring a tie breaker question. As determined as they were, the boys from Aquinas SHS were able to answer the second riddle faster than PRESEC to emerge champions of the year. The students and supporters immediately erupted with thunderous singing of the school’s anthem to the delight of all present. But there was an anticlimax to the grand finale; the quiz many have touted as fair and open was marred with controversy after Aquinas had the last question right. Faced with a shattered dream of annexing the trophy for the sixth time, tutors of Legon PRESEC allegedly instructed their students to leave the hall because the quiz mistress had allowed Aquinas SHS to answer a riddle without hearing the sound of their bell. Calm was however restored when the consultants for the quiz exhaustively explained to them the fact that it was fair and no attempt was made to give special privilege to any of the competing schools. This is the first time a day school has won the national quiz, and it was made possible by arguably the best day school in the country - St. Thomas Aquinas. Take home prizes The final was attended by teachers and participants from the other schools, representatives from the Ghana Education Service, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools and Prime time Limited, organizers of the event as well as sponsors of the competition . For placing first in the finals, St. Thomas Aquinas SHS received GH¢ 10,000 while their teachers and contestants received GH¢1,000 each. PRESEC took home GH¢7500 and their teachers and contestants also got GH¢800 each. Mfantsiman Girls who placed third were also presented with a cash prize of 4000 cedis with the teachers and contestants received 800 cedis each. J.K. Onyinah, Representative of the Ghana Education Service encouraged the students to develop a healthy educational rivalry so as to foster competitive education. The Organizers, Prime Time Limited, spoke about the support received from GES, CHASS and other sponsors, they however outlined that one major challenge they still face was financial assistance. They said efforts were being made to ensure that the number of participating schools is increased in the next edition.