Speaker donates GH¢10,000, two laptops to National Science and Maths Quiz winners

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has presented a cheque for GH¢10,000 and two laptops to the winners of the 2020 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ), the Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School (Presec, LEGON).

He said gesture was in recognition of the students' hard work which had made them heroes "for bringing back home the trophy."

The Speaker also held a dinner for the award winners and a delegation of old students of the school at the Banquet Hall of Parliament when they paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Parliament last Wednesday.

The visit, led by the Board Chairman of the school, Rev. Ebenezer Markei, who is also the Global President of the Presec Old Boys' Association, was to allow the award winners to present the NMSQ trophy to the Speaker, who is also an old boy of Presec.

Conquests

Presec-Legon were crown champions for the sixth time at the just ended NSMQ after winning the trophy in 1995, 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2009.

The school, founded in 1938, has also been to the NSMQ finals more than any other school and won the competition more than any other school.

Proud

Receiving the delegation, Prof. Oquaye said "I am very grateful and proud of our students. If you consider giving back something to what has made you then it is not difficult at all.

"If I earn something, I earned it because of Presec, where I got my solid foundation," he said.

Recounting some old students winning awards and making Presec proud globally, Prof. Oquaye acknowledged it was due to the support and training he received from his alma mater that he had become who he was today.

Pass on the tradition

He noted the students who won the NSMQ, besides showing sound academic achievement, also demonstrated a deep sense of discipline and good behaviour during the contest.

“When I saw the Presec boys, three fine gentlemen on television that day, apart from their academic achievement, if you look at them from top to bottom you would be proud of them, no baggy trousers. They were groomed physically, mentally, spiritually and morally; all in one person.

"This is because those that started the institution wanted to achieve something and by the grace of God they have achieved it," he said.
Reminding students of the school to consider it as a privilege to attend Presec, the Speaker encouraged them to also allow the christian training they acquired to reflect in every area of their life to be able to "pass on the tradition."

Board Chairman

Rev. Markwei recounted how the board exerted pressure on the school's authority to go all out to support the NSMQ team to win the contest.
He expressed appreciation to the Speaker for also tasking the school authority to endeavour to outperform all schools in the contest, a charge he said had contributed to the success the school had chalked up.