Emotions were stirred Tuesday morning at the ongoing 2021 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) Regional qualifiers held in Accra.

A final year student of Tema Senior High School has been left shattered and downhearted after her school was knocked out at the qualifiers.

Aliyu Hajaratu Yahaya could not hold back her tears after Tema SHS was eliminated by West African Senior High School with just a point at the end of the contest.

It was the end of the road for Aliyu Hajaratu Yahaya and her colleagues in hopes of becoming 2021 NSMQ winners.

According to the contestant, NSMQ means a lot to her, for that reason, she put in all her efforts to ensure her school has the opportunity to claim this year’s trophy.

 “We placed a lot of preparations into this that is what it pains me... The National Science and Maths Quiz means a lot to us,” she said.

She is, however, hopeful that their defeat is in accordance with the will of the Lord.

“All is well. It is because that is what God has planned for us that is why it happened,” she added.

Meanwhile, contestants of West African Senior High School who wore the victor’s crown are poised and determined to accomplish the dreams of their predecessors in 2018 after losing the trophy to St Peters SHS by a margin.

Speaking with JoyNews correspondent, Maxwell Agbagba, they noted that they are ready to offer nothing but the best in this year’s contest.

“Nothing but the best. We did some in 2018 and sure, we are even capable of doing what we did in the previous years that is in 2018.

Already, St. Francis Xavier Junior Seminary has progressed to the next stage of the competition after showing Jirapa SHS, Lawra SHS, and St. Francis Girls' SHS the exit on Monday.