St. James Seminary SHS 2000-year group refurbishes NSMQ lab

The 2000-year-group of the St. James Seminary Senior High School (SHS) in Sunyani has refurbished the school's dilapidated National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ) Laboratory to boost the school's performance in the competition.

Additionally, the group stocked the facility with modern teaching and learning materials and presented an undisclosed amount of money toward the ongoing 2024 NSMQ.

The items presented to boost the school performance in the NSMQ are different kinds of Science and Mathematics books, book shelves, 65-inch television set, quiz bells, tables and chairs.

The group also changed the old and broken windows with sliding doors, fixed bugler proofs and air conditioners, tiled the floor and rewired the entire facility to provide stable power for studies.

Boost preparation 

The refurbishment and the donation of the learning materials is to boost the school preparation towards this year's NSMQ competition.

Before the rehabilitation, the facility was in a poor state, coupled with inadequate teaching and learning materials.

The situation was not conducive to stimulate students understanding of complex concepts and facilitate teaching and learning.

Located at Abesim near Sunyani, the facility is strategically provided to beef up the NSMQ preparation to help them win the ultimate trophy.

The lab is also designed to serve as a quiz hub and resource centre for the school.

The facility is being connected with the internet to improve research and teaching and learning.

Adoption 

At the inauguration of the facility on Monday, the President of the year group, Williams Mensah, said they had adopted the school NSMQ as their project to ensure the school lifted the trophy.

He said for the past years, they had worked tirelessly to support the school NSMQ activities at various levels, ensuring that the contestants had the tools they needed to succeed in the competition.

"As past students, we understand the importance of a solid educational foundation, particularly in the fields of science and mathematics, which are critical for fostering innovation and critical thinking in today's rapidly evolving world," he said.

Mr Mensah said the project had been in the works for some years and explained that the rehabilitation would help make it conducive for learning.

He said the lab would provide a stimulating environment and inspired students to think critically, ask questions, and embrace challenges with confidence. 

Achievement

The acting Rector of the school, Reverend Father Gordon Tawiah, said the school was well noted for its academic achievement in the West Africa, which was achieved through discipline and hard work.

He said since 2000, the school had won several trophies, explaining that the school in 2017 produced the overall best student in the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) across West Africa.

Rev. Fr Tawiah said in 2022, two of their students took overall and second best WASSCE positions in the whole of West Africa and in 2023, another two students of the school were judged overall and third best students in West African.

He said the school had won several other trophies such as Energy Commission Challenge and other several competitions.

Trophy left 

"The only academic trophy left for the school to lift is NSMQ. So, we now need the trophy here," he said.

Rev. Fr Tawiah said initially the school did not have interest in the NSMQ competition, because of the cost involved in training and participating in the competition.

He said the school had now shifted its attention into the competition and "we want to go every step to get the NSMQ trophy for the school."

Rev. Fr Tawiah said the school had intensified its training and appealed to the other old students to support them to meet its set goal.

He said the participants were brilliant but needed special coaching to master the techniques involved in the NSMQ.

He urged the contestants to work hard to either win the trophy or maintain its seeded position in the competition.

Rev. Fr Tawiah pledged the school and the Catholic Church support for them to succeed.

For his part, the NSMQ Coordinator of the school, Dabuo Naala, said the facility and gadgets provided would help boost their preparation and performance in the competition.

He said before the facility their commitment to NSMQ was very low, which affected them in the competitions.

Mr Naala said this year, the school had targeted the semi-finals in the competition.

Writer's email: biiya.ali@graphic.com.gh