For two consecutive years, rivals in the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) will have the most successful schools, Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (PRESEC), Legon, six-time winners and five-time and reigning champions, Prempeh College (Prempeh) square off in the final as they try to establish their dominance in the competition.

However, the dream of “seven a Living God” as is being touted by PRESEC and reaching ‘sixth heaven’ as has been the clarion call of Prempeh, could be threatened by a former champion, Adisadel College (ADISCO) who are keen to break the dominance of the two.

Indeed, Adisadel are hoping to replicate their performance in this competition so far, steadily warming themselves up in the challenge, particularly, as they did in the semi-finals.

Divided by common desire

After an enthralling and highly competitive elimination stage of the competition that began with more than 100 schools, these three finalists will today square off at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to determine which school walks away with the bragging rights.

Unlike last year’s final when Keta Senior High School (KETASCO) surprised the competition with a place in the final, this year has no surprise finalist, given that the three have all been champions before.

Though they have a lot in common as institutions which have produced great students who have gone on to accomplish a lot in all spheres of life, and also have a great desire to win this contest, that strong desire, incidentally, will be that which will set them against one another.

Apart from all three being established by churches – PRESEC by the Presbyterian Church, Prempeh by the Methodist Church and ADISCO by the Anglican Church, they also come from regions which have carved a niche as the educational triangle – Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central.

These grounds of unity will temporarily be set aside, each side strategising a plan to outdo the other as they face the Quiz Mistress, Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann.

Familiar foes

Although between them they have won the competition 12 times, today’s clash will be only the third time that Prempeh and PRESEC encounter each other in the final.

Interestingly, Prempeh have won on the previous two occasions — first in 1994 at the inaugural competition and again in 2021.

Indeed, last year, PRESEC, hoping to ride on their NSMQ credentials as the best with a consistent winning record, had their hopes dashed when Prempeh denied them their seventh title, having won in 1995, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2020.

Back in the final almost immediately, PRESEC have another chance to salvage their dream and will be hoping that they would avoid all the mistakes they made last year to achieve their aim.

Inspired by their motto: In Lumine Tuo Videbimus Lumen, meaning In Thy Light, We Shall See Light, the Presecans intend not only to have their path lit by the light, but will shine brightly to light the path for the others.

Also presented with the chance to defend the title, Prempeh College, winners in 1994, 1996, 2015, 2017 and 2021 will be out to hold on to that title, not only to equalise the record sixth title, but also establish their credentials, living out their motto: Suban ne nimdee, to wit character and knowledge.

So far, Adisadel has shown that they have what it takes to either be the first or be with the first as their motto: Vel Primus Vel Cum Primus says, and though the competition records place them as outsiders, the 2016 champions cannot be overlooked.

Indeed, a year after winning their first title, they were back in the final in 2017, to attempt a second, but were stopped by Prempeh in that encounter.

Having worked hard to be in the final again and from their impressive performance so far in this competition, the ADISCO boys cannot be easily brushed aside as many may want to, greatly inspired by their motto.

Road to final

As finalists in 2021, PRESEC and Prempeh joined the competition at the one-eighth stage and just like Adisadel, they had no problem sailing through.

Champions, it is said, die hard and at the semi-finals, Prempeh had to dig deep and use their experience to win and became the first to book a place in the final, overcoming a close challenge from Abetifi SHS and Mfantsipim School.

The contest was so close that only three points made the difference for Prempeh who sailed through with 43 points as against 40 for Abetifi and Mfantsipim, who managed 38 points.

If they were under pressure to also qualify, PRESEC did not show it when they had their turn in the semi-finals and had a comparatively easy contest, winning by 51 points against St James Seminary’s 35 points and Kumasi High’s eight points.

Of the three semi-finals, it was the final one that involved St Augustine’s College, rivals of ADISCO in the Central Region, and Opoku Ware, who had showed some brilliance in this year’s competition, that looked the toughest.

Indeed, by the end of the first round, it looked like Opoku Ware would win, having started on a very good note ahead of the others. However, they were let down, particularly, in Round Four, which was considered their strongest area, allowing Adisadel to assume the lead which they held on to till the end, eventually winning with 45 points to beat Opoku Ware to second place with 33 points and St Augustine’s in third on 22 points.

Disappointingly, no female represented a school at the semi-finals this year although KETASCO did well to reach the final, but were represented by an all-male team.

Abetifi Presbyterian SHS also made it to the semi-finals as the other mixed school team, but they were also represented by only males.

Regional contest?

No doubt schools in the Greater Accra, Central and Ashanti Regions who rival these three finalists, look set to put aside their rivalry and throw their support behind their regional representatives, hoping they win to bring the bragging rights ‘home.’

If the support shown by students and old students of the three finalists in last year’s competition is anything to go by, then this year’s competition will be another for the supporters, mostly, old students, as it would be for the contestants.

Already, the old students, Odadee of PRESEC, Seniors of Prempeh and ADISCO’s Santaclausians have played key roles in supporting their teams to this point and they definitely will put in that final effort to push their teams.

While Prempeh will be looking forward to another ‘host and win’ encounter, both PRESEC and ADISCO hope to draw on the support of their strong presence in the Ashanti Region.