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Girls’ Schools do not take NSMQ seriously as Boys’ Schools-Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann
Renowned Quiz Mistress of the National Science and Math Quiz(NSMQ) fame, Prof.Elsie Effah Kaufmann has revealed why no Girls’ School has won the competition before.
According to Prof Kaufmann who is also a senior lecturer at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Ghana, the Girls’ Schools do not take the NSMQ seriously as compared to the Boy’s Schools.
Explaining her point in an interview with Roselyn Feli on Joy Prime on Thursday, Prof.Effah Kaufmann said she was disappointed and quite unhappy no Girls’ School had won since its inception in the past 23 years.
She noted that even though there had been some improvement in how female contestants behave in the competition compared to the past where they were mostly shy or scared to answer questions, the lack of seriousness is a cause to worry.
“Yes I’m disappointed, it makes me quite unhappy to talk about it, I don’t think it’s a matter of competence, the girls are competent,” she said.
Assigning some reasons, she said, “The Girls’ schools do not take this competition seriously as the Boys’, because if they did, I would see them do some of the things the Boys’ schools and the Mixed Schools do.”
Prof Effah Kaufmann revealed that the schools that have consistently done well in the Quiz have a pipeline of contestants, they start their selection even before they get to the final year.
“They have a team in the first year, second year and third year, who sit in the crowd calculating, getting themselves ready, which is not done by some of the Girls who only wait to finish their Mock Exams before selecting their contestants,” she noted.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
