District Science and Maths Quiz Sparks STEM Interest Among Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Pupils
For too long, a quiet fear has shaped the academic trajectories of young Ghanaians: the belief that science and mathematics are simply too difficult. It is a perception that narrows career paths, discourages curiosity, and leaves untold potential on the table. In the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District of the Central Region, educators decided to push back — not with lectures, but with a competition.
The District Education Directorate organised a Science and Mathematics Quiz for basic schools across the area, bringing together pupils from institutions large and small to test their knowledge, sharpen their problem-solving skills, and, perhaps most importantly, discover that the subjects they feared were within their grasp.
After several rounds of increasingly challenging questions, four schools earned their place in the grand finale: Brakwa Christian International School, Asikuma Ave Maria School, Odoben Presbyterian Girls’ School, and Asikuma Presbyterian School. In a tense and closely fought contest, Brakwa Christian International School emerged as district champion, outperforming its rivals with a combination of speed, accuracy, and composure under pressure.
The event was more than a test of knowledge. It was a deliberate intervention in how young people perceive the sciences. Mr Ato Kwamena, the District Science and Mathematics Quiz Coordinator, framed the competition in precisely those terms.
“For too long, fear of mathematics and science has prevented many brilliant students from realising their full potential and pursuing higher education in related fields,” he said. “This quiz serves as a powerful tool to challenge that perception. By presenting these subjects in a competitive yet enjoyable environment, we are showing our children that they are more than capable of excelling in them.”
The atmosphere at the grand finale reflected that ambition. Teachers, parents, and fellow students packed the venue, creating the kind of electric energy usually reserved for sporting events. For the participants, the experience was transformative. Several students said the competition had fundamentally changed how they viewed science and mathematics — not as impenetrable disciplines reserved for a gifted few, but as subjects that reward curiosity, preparation, and persistence.
That shift in perception matters enormously. Ghana’s development ambitions — from industrialisation to digital transformation — depend on a workforce literate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Yet the pipeline of STEM talent begins in primary school, where attitudes toward these subjects are often formed and, too frequently, hardened into avoidance. Initiatives like the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa quiz represent a grassroots approach to a national challenge: making STEM accessible, exciting, and aspirational for the youngest learners.
The district education officials behind the competition believe it has laid the groundwork for something more lasting than a single event. They see it as the foundation for nurturing future scientists, engineers, and innovators — young people who will carry the confidence gained in a school quiz into laboratories, workshops, and boardrooms.
If the enthusiasm of this year’s participants is any indication, the foundation is solid. The question now is whether other districts will follow suit, and whether the energy generated in a single competition hall can be sustained through consistent investment in STEM education at the grassroots level.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
