A 16-year-old student of Opoku Ware School (OWASS) has made a historic stride qualifying the school for the grand finale of the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) in three years.
Stephen Apemah Baah has become the centre stage of the school in anticipation of ending their 21-year-old NSMQ trophy drought.
Stephen Apemah Baah, the wonder kid of OWASS has been in a full academic showdown mood for Opoku Ware School since their participation.
Master Baah is the youngest in this year’s national tournament.
“I got interested in the NSMQ when I was in Junior High School so I went for the Junior National Science and Maths Quiz. I couldn’t win when I was in Form 2 but won it in Form 3.
“I realized the stuff we learn at the basic school is similar to that of SHS, so I could easily relate to them,” he said.
Over the years many participating schools have adopted tactical approaches to clinch the coveted trophy.
While some schools opt for students pursuing programs outside the sciences due lack of resources, others field Form 2 students.
Unfortunately, that seems not to have worked for many schools.
The closest a school came was St Peter’s and West Africa SHS when they fielded Form 2 students.
For Opoku Ware School though, the strategy seem to have worked, but it did not come easy.
The coordinator of the quiz team, Richard Mensah explained that the team’s series of defeats informed the decision.
“So we were preparing them thinking we will definitely get our three contestants from the Form 3s. It got to a stage where we go for trials and there are some disappointments.
“When we go for trials, we ask the students to solve the questions and when you sit by Stephen you realise he got some of the questions right when his seniors struggled to answer them. So we decided to introduce him,” he said.
The school that entered the reigning Ashanti regional championship was kicked out at the early stage, denying them an opportunity to retain the trophy.
Master Baah, who has become the colossus of the Akatakyies, led the school to topple their all-time city rivals, Prempeh College.
Although the decision came with a mixed reaction from the other team members, it is reaping benefits as the school makes their 10th final appearance.
“I wasn’t really happy when the decision was made. But as time went by, we realised he was very good. So we decided to work with him and indeed he helped us. He was doing very well in every round of the contest,” one of his teammates said.
The school’s strategy was hitherto cumbersome, but Master Baah believed in his capabilities to pull through.
“Initially, I was really pressured. I didn’t know what to do. But I remembered if I could represent my school in JHS 2, then possibly I could do same here with the help of God. I started believing in myself that could do all the things I am doing actually and make it in the NSMQ,” he said.
Stephen graduated from the Good Shepherd R/C basic school in Kumasi where he won the school the Junior Science and Maths Quiz trophy.
He had originally resolved to attend his now rival school, Prempeh College but after a series of contemplation, he ended up in Opoku Ware School.
The school faces off with seven-time champions, PRESEC-Legon and Achimota School at the grand finale of the competition.
Having lost to PRESEC-Legon four times at the final contests, Opoku Ware school is optimistic their wonder boy would snatch them their third trophy.
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