CHASS suspends SHSs from participating in 2022 NSMQ

The leadership of the Conference of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has suspended Senior High Schools across the country from participating in the 2022 edition of the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) until further notice.

In an interview monitored by AcademicWeek, CHASS said its decision follows the claim that some school heads are planning to use funds for feeding to sponsor their participation in the Science and Maths competition.

The National President of the Conference, Alhaji Yakubu Abubakar commenting on the allegation said suspending all inter-school activities is the best way to keep the schools running efficiently on their core academic mandate.

“The monies are already meagre as it is for the supplies we need. Monies for recurrent expenditure have been in arrears for more than a year. And so when we met, we decided that the best thing to do is to suspend these activities which are not properly part of our main responsibility of academic work”, Alhaji Abubakar told JoyNews.

Alhaji Yakubu Abubakar stressed that “these extra-curricular activities help in improving the general quality of education delivered in the schools. But now we have to put all of them on hold because we can’t afford it.”

In a statement to regional chapters of the Conference of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, heads of schools have been urged to use feeding monies for solely perishables.

“Most of the monies sent to the schools these days are for perishables and it is equally misappropriation of funds if we should continuously use such monies for things they are not intended for,” the Assisted Secondary Schools stated.

Started in 1993 and produced by Primetime Limited, the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) is an annual science and mathematics content-based national-level quiz competition for Senior High Schools across the country.

The quiz is to promote the study of science and mathematics and help students develop quick thinking and a probing and scientific mind about the everyday world around them while fostering healthy academic rivalry among SHSs.

The popular National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) is the longest-running educational programme on Ghanaian television. It is broadcast on GTV during the quiz season every Saturday at 11 am and Wednesdays at 4 pm.