National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ 2020): The stage is set!
With the NSMQ duly launched on Tuesday 1st September 2020, the battle for the bragging rights as #NSMQ2020 champions has begun.
The 2020 edition of the National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) and Science Festival; the longest-running independent production on Ghanaian television, was officially launched on Tuesday, 1st September, 2020 at the GNAT Hall in Accra. The launch, which was live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube, also provided a platform to conduct a special balloting exercise for the Preliminary Stage based on regions/zones for the first time in the Quiz’s history.
The competition, which normally runs between June and July each year, was postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Upon consultation with stakeholders, Primetime Limited, producers of the NSMQ, had to re-strategise and reorganise to provide a safe environment for all participants, with support from the Ghana Health Service, Noguchi Memorial Institute, University of Ghana Medical Centre and the Ghana Education Service.A cross-section of guests at the Launch
To ensure that competitions are held in a safe manner in accordance with COVID-19 safety protocols, the Preliminary Stage, which is ordinarily held in Accra, will now be held in the regions and zones before schools converge in Accra for the One-eighth Stage; the next level of the Quiz. Furthermore, there will be no live audience at this year’s competition.
During the official launch, the Managing Director of Primetime, Mrs. Nana Akua Ankomah-Asare, announced that to make up for the lack of live audience at the production venues, all the 80 contests would be streamed live on NSMQ social media platforms with selected contests being broadcasted by NSMQ media partner, Joy News of the Multimedia Group.
“All contests would be streamed live across all our social media platforms. Yes, we are bringing the full complement of this year’s Quiz directly into your homes, from the Prelims, right up to the Grand Finale.”
– Mrs. Ankomah Asare.
Mrs. Nana Akua Ankomah-Asare speaking at the event.
This year’s competition promises to be exciting as the stakes are higher with the introduction and continuation of prizes such as The Money Zone, sponsored by Absa Bank Ghana, and the Riddles Bonanza sponsored by Goil. From the Quarterfinal stage to the Grand Finale, scores accrued will be converted to cash.
This year’s competition promises to be exciting, with the introduction of prizes such as the Goil Riddle Bonanza sponsored by Goil, to reward contestants in the round four of the Quiz, and the AirtelTigo Highest Scorer of the Day, which seeks to reward highest scorers of each competition day.Nana Essilfuah Boison, Head of Marketing, Absa Bank Ghana
The Money Zone, sponsored by Absa Bank Ghana Limited, will also be available this year, with an increase in prize value. The final scores of the schools would be multiplied by GH¢10.00 GH¢15.00 and GH¢25,00 as prize money from the Quarterfinal, Semifinal and Final stages respectively, and the NSMQ Star, sponsored by Prudential Life Insurance, will also continue this year, to reward schools that make a perfect score of 10 in the Problem of the Day, from the Preliminary to the Final stages of the competition.
A total of 135 schools will be competing for the bragging rights, and here is a breakdown of how this year’s competition will pan out:
The 135 schools comprise 108 Regional Qualifiers who will compete at the Preliminary Stage in the various regions and zones and 27 seeded schools, quarterfinalists from NSMQ 2019, who will join the competition at the One-eight Stage of the competition.Mrs. Catherine Appiah-Pinkrah, Director of Pre-Tertiary Education, GES balloting for the Preliminary Stage Contests in Greater Accra
Out of the 108 schools who will compete at the Preliminary Stage, 54 of them – 40 winners and 14 top runners-up – will proceed to the One-eighth Stage, where they will battle it out with the 27 seeded schools from NSMQ 2019.
The stage has been set and the first Preliminary Stage contests will begin in the Greater Accra Region on Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
Which schools will your alma mater be competing with? The battle for the bragging rights as NSMQ champions has begun! Check out the full list for the 2020 Preliminary Stage fixtures.
The National Science & Maths and Quiz and Science Festival is sponsored by the Ghana Education Service in partnership with Absa Bank Ghana Limited and supported by Joy News, Prudential Life Insurance, Goil, Airtel Tigo, Dano Milk, Academic City, Accra College of Medicine, Academic City, Central University, GTP, Adansi Travels, Medifem Multi-specialist Hospital and Fertility Centre, Third Eyecare Vision Centre and YFM. The NSMQ is proudly produced by Primetime.