Accra, March 11, GNA – Cocktail Media, a Catholic Youth Media Organization, has launched the second edition of the “Brain Battle Quiz” for this year.
The purpose is to promote Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Ghana.
This edition will feature 144 schools comprising nine schools from each of the 16 Regions with the Regional Championship scheduled to take place between 6th April and 14th May 2021.
Madam Josephine Asooh, Acting General Manager and Greater Accra Regional Manager of Catholic Schools, in a welcome address on behalf of Most Rev. Bonaventure Kwofie, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra and the Episcopal Bishop of Education, said the winner of the first prize would receive GH¢10,000.00 worth of science equipment for his or her school.
She added that the winner would also receive a branded trophy and GH¢500.00 savings account, certificate and souvenirs.
Madam Asooh said the second prize winners would get GH¢5,000.00 worth of science equipment for his or her school, GH¢300.00 saving account, certificate and souvenirs, with the third prize winner getting GH¢2,000,00 worth of science equipment for his or her school, GH¢200.00 savings accounts, certificate and souvenirs.
She said there would be consolation prizes for all contestants to encourage them to work harder for a brighter future.
Madam Asooh said the Championship was not only open for Catholic schools and urged non-Catholic schools to participate in the programme in the future.
She said the National STEM championship held last two years helped in discovering many talents and called for support to sustain the drive towards producing problem-solving scientists.
Mr Samuel Owusu-Boateng, Chief Executive Officer of Cocktail Media, explaining the mode and road map of the “Brain Battle Quiz National STEM” championship, said there were two mandatory categories, which included the national junior scientist project category, the practical based quiz contest, and the national junior scientist project category.
He said the national junior scientist project category required each participating school to develop an indigenous science project using a combination of local materials in its community and other accessories.
Mr Owusu-Boateng stated that the project must be related to at least one of the three themes or topics such as Solar for life, Recycling for life, and Coding and Programming for life.
He said each school would work within their home region to develop a single project related to at least one of the three stated topics and then record a video of a presentation of the project delivered by the contestants of the school for the panel of judges to examine it.
Mr Owusu-Boateng added that the BBQ National STEM Championship Planning Committee would work with the schools to adopt the best projects for further assessment and seek partnership and sponsorship for the development of those projects for community and national level applications.
He said this year’s Quiz contests would be held under very strict covid-19 health protocols to protect children and the organizers from the virus.
Mr Owusu-Boateng said the Championship would be held within the third week of June in Accra and that each contest would be recorded without a team of supporters and would involve three schools per competition.
He stated that a total of 33 Regional Champions would enter into the Preliminary Stage of the contest with only 26 schools qualifying to join Good Shepherd School in the quarter-final stage.
Mr Owusu-Boateng added that nine schools would then qualify out of the 27 from the quarter-final to the semi-final stage and three schools out of the nine from the semi-final to the national grand finale quiz contest.
GNA