Organizers of the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) have responded to a protest lodged by Prempeh College regarding the results of the NSMQ semi-finals. In a letter dated October 19, 2023, Prempeh College disputed the answer to a riddle in the fifth round of the competition and called for a review of the decision.
The letter, signed by Nana Akua A. Mensa-Bonsu Managing Director, Primetime Limited, cited the principle of superposition and argued that the contestant's answer of “principle of superposition” should have received full marks. However, in response, the NSMQ's Physics Consultant, Dr. Amos Kuditcher, and the Quiz Mistress, Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann, explained that the riddle's clues pointed to the specific response of “Linear Superposition,” which was supported by the clues provided in the riddle.
The NSMQ organizers, in their response, stressed the importance of fairness and impartiality, highlighting that protests from schools are allowed to ensure fairness in contest adjudication. They emphasized that protests can be made to address grievances, and the NSMQ takes steps to resolve them through appropriate channels.
The letter further mentioned that Prempeh College's protest was reviewed by the Physics consultant, who explained the concepts to the team, and the team accepted the explanation. Therefore, any insinuation of deliberate injustice was found to be without merit.
The NSMQ organizers encouraged all participating schools to use the prescribed procedure to address their grievances, rather than resorting to smear campaigns on social media, emphasizing the importance of graciousness in defeat and the value of the competition's integrity.
The organizers also reiterated that Primetime, the production company behind NSMQ, has no interest in determining the winners or losers of the competition, as they prioritize the program's integrity. They recognized the hard work and dedication of all contestants and trainers and praised the exciting and passionate contests in NSMQ 2023.
Read the full statement below;
