READ - NSMQ: Bernard Okoe Boye recounts his days of representing PRESEC

The Member of Parliament for the Ledzokuku Constituency, Bernard Okoe Boye has described the just-ended National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) as a nostalgic experience for him.

Interestingly, in the year 2000, Okoe Boye represented the Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (PRESEC) at the National Science and Maths Quiz.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Personality Profile with Lexis Bill, the Deputy Health Minister said although representing Presec at the NSMQ felt like having the entire weight of the school on his shoulders, it was also a gratifying experience to know that he was among the best.

“When you happen to represent Presec, it’s like playing for the Brazilian national team; it’s like playing for a group that is known to be masters of the art,” he stated.

What excites Okoe Boye most about this particular competition is the excellent combination of “knowledge and art” by the representatives of Presec in this year’s contest.

He explained that the ‘art’ aspect of the quiz has to do with “how to gel as a team; knowing who makes the first attempt for a difficult question, who comes in when it is easy, when to press the bell, how to consult each other quickly before a bell is pressed”.

This, he said, is a skill that must be added to the science and math knowledge the students already have.

“Once the science and art come together then you know that you are on your way to victory. This team has the 2. In fact, their combination is very good; they have serious knowledge, which is the science aspect and their art, in terms of their communication is also excellent and I’m not surprised at all that they won comfortably”.

He revealed that it was the school’s culture to identify, groom and celebrate students with unimaginable intelligence

“Because knowledge and being sharp is a value that we hold very dear in Presec, so really, although almost all the students are sharp and intelligent, there is also the effort to identify folks who have overwhelming and unimaginable sharpness and intelligence”.

This tradition, he believes, is something that has enabled the students to outperform their opponents, winning them the much-coveted NSMQ 2020 trophy.