The National Science and Math Quiz is the longest-running independent production on television in Ghana.

The programme is very popular with not only its main target group; Senior High School students, but also with parents and especially with former students (old boys and girls), who take great pride in the performance of their alma maters on this programme.

The objectives of the NSMQ has been to promote the study of the sciences and mathematics, help students develop quick thinking and a probing and scientific mind about the things around them, while fostering healthy academic rivalry among senior high schools. Without doubt, these aims have been achieved.

The quiz, popularly referred to as “brilla” by many who have gone through the secondary school system is by far one of the few academic events that bring all of Ghana’s secondary schools together to battle for supremacy and bragging rights.

The NSMQ since it started has featured several quiz mistresses. The first quiz mistress was the late Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy, professor of Biochemistry at the University of Ghana, Legon. She was quiz-mistress from 1993-2000. “When in 1993/94, during the planning of a televised quiz programme on science, I was asked to be the Quiz Mistress, I could not say No”, she wrote in her memoirs.

Dr. Eureka Emefa Adomako, a botanist at the University of Ghana, Legon, took over as quiz-mistress from 2001 to 2005, having been recommended by Prof. Addy. Dr. Adomako was a fantastic quiz mistress who took charge of the programme until she had to leave for postgraduate studies. Before leaving, just as Prof. Addy recommended her as quiz mistress, Dr. Adomako recommended that Dr. Kaufmann take over as quiz mistress.

In 2006, Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, the Head of the Biomedical Engineering department, University of Ghana, Legon, took over as quiz mistress and keeps excelling in her role till date. Over the past ten years, she has succeeded in bringing her own style to the programme, occasionally injecting some humor into an otherwise formal programme.

As the chairperson of the moderation team, Dr. Kaufmann is supported by a team of consultants made up of Prof. W.A. Asomaning, Dr. Ebenezer Owusu, Dr. Amos Kuditcher and Dr. Douglas Adu-Gyamfi, all of the University of Ghana, Legon.

Current and old students of Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (Presec) will seize every opportunity to let you know they are the Lionel Messi of the National Science & Math Quiz. Having won the quiz five times (1995, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009).

However, it was Prempeh College which first won the title in 1994 and subsequently went on to win the third edition in 1996. Their city rivals, Opoku Ware School followed their heels and won the 1997 edition and later, the 2002 edition.

It is worth saying that in the history of the National Science & Math Quiz, Achimota School has been the only mixed school to have won the title. They have won the competition on two occasions- in 1998 and 2004. All other winners have been boys’ schools. No girls’ school has won the competition, despite being in the finals quite a number of times.

Undeniably, the Saturday 11a.m. slot on GTV is synonymous with the NSMQ, as this has been the time slot for the programme since it first aired in 1994.