Ghanaian Kids in Ireland Excel in National Quiz Competition

The much awaited maiden summer 2009 Quiz Competition for the Ghanaian youth in Ireland took place on Saturday 22nd August 2009 at the Redeem Church of God in the city of Longford. The event, the first of its kind in Ireland was organised by the Education Committee of the Association of Ghanaian Professionals in Ireland (AGPI). The AGPI has identified Education as one of the vehicles that could be used to develop Ghana and has since its inception put in measures that will inculcate the spirit of learning at all levels in the lives of the Ghanaian community in Ireland. It was therefore agreed that the year 2009 and beyond would be used to organise many events in the field of Education, all with the view of motivating Ghanaians in Ireland to participate actively in the learning process.
The Quiz Competition was open to all the twenty six counties of the republic but for logistics and other reasons, contestants from only five counties, namely Dublin, Limerick/Clare, Letterkenny, Monaghan and Drogheda/Cavan entered this well attended and keenly contested competition. In all, thirty three contestants participated in the quiz and they had been prepared to answer questions in Science, Bible Knowledge, Mathematics, Spelling and General Knowledge. The contestants were divided into the following age groupings for the purpose of participating in the competition: 7-10 years; 11-14 years and 15-18 years. Three contestants from each county represented each age grouping.
To set things in motion, Ms Mercy Dampare opened the proceeding with an open prayer and immediately, the master of ceremonies for the occasion, Mr. Mark Mantey, invited the kids to take up their seats and introduced the Chairperson of the Education Committee and the brain behind the Quiz Competition, Mrs Belinda Agyapong to the kids and parents. In her address to the contestants, she assured them that there would be fair play to everybody and encouraged them to exhibit high sense of enthusiasm and drive so that they could enjoy the day irrespective of whoever won the competition.’
She said ‘ the committee has identified the kids and for that matter the youth as the future of our dear country Ghana and they therefore needed to be encouraged to take their education very seriously’. Education, according to her is the surest way our kids could unearth and develop their talents.
Mrs Belinda Agyapong went further to assert that, most of the time parents have failed to encourage their kids to develop their spirit of confidence, which to her is a very important ingredient in every person’s development. She attributed the rise of Mr Barak Obama’s to the position of President of the United State to efforts his parents put into his education and confidence development.
Finally, she said, ‘ this Quiz Competition is the beginning of a series of programmes that her Committee has in store for the Ghanaian Community and it is her plan to encourage every Ghanaian child in Ireland to take part in the learning process no matter their age.
The Competition itself was keenly contested with all the entrants having one aim which was to win the coveted prizes at stake in the various age groupings. But as it is always the case, there had to be winners and losers and below is how the teams fared.
In the 7 – 10 years age group, Team Dublin, made up of Stephanie Owusu-Ansah, Daniella Gyambibi and Emmanuella Yeboah won that category.
In the age 11- 14 years, team Drogheda/Cavan made up of Kelvin Akpaloo, Denis Frimpong and Fred Williams won the day and in the age group 15-18 years, team Limereck made up of Andrews Opoku, Amanda Opoku and Geniviva Ameyaw Gyamfi was the winner.
Prizes in the form of stationery and gift vouchers for school books were presented to the winners by Mr Kofi Owusu-Ansah, Secretary of AGPI. He also presented consolation prizes in the form of stationery to each of the thirty two contestants.
Dr Vincent Agyapong the chairperson of AGPI brought the competition to a close and applauded the parents, the kids and all the invited guests who made the occasion a success and assured the kids that the competition would be a yearly affair and it was his hope that in the future we shall receive entries from all the twenty six counties. He assured all the contestants that certificates of participation would be presented to them on Saturday, the 7th of November 2009, when AGPI organises its second Awards and variety night at the prestigious Park Plaza Hotel in Dublin 15. Mrs Lucy Agyemang Prempeh said the closing prayer and brought the curtain down for the 2009 Summer Quiz Competition. For more details please visit www.agpireland.org.
Mr Kofi Owusu-Ansah
Secretary, AGPI