PRIMETIME'S DECISION ON WALK-OFF BY ANLO SHS AND KUMASI HIGH SCHOOL CONTESTANTS DURING THE ONE-EIGHTH STAGE CONTEST 9 INVOLVING ST.AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE, ANLO SHS AND KUMASI HIGH SCHOOL
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Primetime Limited wishes to inform the public of the circumstances surrounding its decision regarding Contest 9 of the One-eighth Stage of the 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ), involving St. Augustine’s College, Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School.
During Round One of the contest, St. Augustine’s College raised a protest concerning the adjudication of a Biology question. The matter was subsequently referred to the relevant consultant, who, after reviewing the issue, advised that St. Augustine’s College be awarded partial marks, since it was St. Augustine’s own question in Round One. This decision was communicated by the Quiz Mistress at the end of Round Three.
The decision was challenged by officials of Anlo SHS, resulting in agitation and disruption in the auditorium. In an effort to provide clarity and restore calm, the consultant was contacted and placed on speakerphone to explain the basis for his decision. Following this explanation, the contest continued through the completion of Round Four.
However, during Round Five, while the first riddle was in progress, the coordinator of Anlo SHS and another teacher from the school began shouting and instructing their contestants to leave the stage. Despite repeated appeals from the Production Team for the contestants to remain on stage and allow the contest to continue, the contestants of Anlo SHS left the stage. Subsequently, a teacher from Kumasi High School also instructed the school's contestants to leave the stage, and they did so.
In resolving the situation, Primetime determined the following:
The Rules of the Competition require schools to compete fairly and expressly prohibit any form of direct communication with the contestants and substitute during the contest. Schools found to have breached this rule are subject to withdrawal from the competition. In this instance, the teachers from Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School directly communicated with and instructed their contestants to leave the stage during an ongoing contest. These instructions resulted in the contestants walking off the stage and bringing the contest to an abrupt halt.
The walk-out occurred while Contest 9 was still in progress. Although the Production Team made repeated efforts to persuade the contestants to remain on stage and continue, the contestants acted on the instructions of their teachers and left the stage.
The walk-out and its resultant disruption to the contest meant that at the time the matter was under resolution, contests at the other venues, which were using the same set of questions, had already concluded. It was, therefore, not possible to continue Contest 9 without compromising the integrity and fairness of the competition.
The actions of the teachers and the subsequent walk-off by the contestants constituted a breach of the rules governing the fair and orderly conduct of the competition.
Consequently, Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School were withdrawn from Contest 9 of the One-eighth Stage. St. Augustine’s College, which remained on stage and was ready to continue the contest, was declared the winner of Contest 9 and thus progresses to the next stage of the 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz.
Primetime Limited remains committed to ensuring fairness, discipline and the integrity of the National Science & Maths Quiz and requires all participating schools, teachers, coordinators and contestants to abide by the rules and procedures governing the competition.
SIGNED
PRIMETIME LIMITED
