BY DANIEL BAMPOE
The battle for academic supremacy among basic schools in Abuakwa South has produced new champions, with KPCE Demonstration Junior High School and Asiakwa Roman Catholic Primary School emerging winners of the seventh Kingsley Maths and Science Quiz (KMSQ) and sixth Kingsley Spelling Challenge (KSC), respectively.
The two schools defeated some of the municipality’s strongest competitors during a keenly contested grand finale held at Abuakwa State College in Kyebi, bringing months of preliminary contests and eliminations to a dramatic conclusion.
In the Maths and Science Quiz, KPCE Demonstration JHS delivered a commanding performance to finish with 39 points, opening a 15-point gap over its closest challenger, Apedwa Presbyterian JHS, which finished with 24 points.
Kibi Rock of Ages JHS placed third with 16 points, leaving KPCE Demonstration JHS to take the coveted title after demonstrating strength across the mathematics and science components of the competition.
The Spelling Challenge also produced an impressive contest, with Asiakwa Roman Catholic Primary School eventually emerging champion of the sixth edition ahead of other finalists.
Asiakwa R/C Primary faced KPCE Demonstration Primary and Kibi Ebenezer Presbyterian Primary in the final after the three schools successfully survived several rounds of competition involving dozens of public and private basic schools across Abuakwa South.
The road to the final began on February 21, 2026, when 67 primary schools entered the Kingsley Spelling Challenge while 62 junior high schools competed in the Kingsley Maths and Science Quiz.
From the initial contestants, 48 schools progressed to the second stage of each competition before the field was reduced to 21 schools at the quarter-final stage. Twelve schools subsequently reached the semi-finals, from which the final three schools in each category were selected for the showdown at Abuakwa State College.
The scale of participation has turned the Kingsley Quizzes into one of the major academic competitions at the basic school level in Abuakwa South, bringing public and private schools together to compete in mathematics, science and English language proficiency.
The competitions were initiated by the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, as part of an education intervention designed to identify academically talented children at an early age and create greater interest in mathematics, science and literacy.
What began as an academic competition has, over the years, developed into a broader attempt to change the learning culture within the municipality by making academic achievement as competitive and celebrated as sporting and entertainment activities.
At this year’s final, Dr. Agyemang argued that the programme is beginning to produce measurable outcomes beyond trophies and prizes.
He disclosed that former contestants have progressed to some of Ghana’s leading senior high schools, while others have subsequently represented their schools in national academic competitions.
According to Dr. Agyemang, the development demonstrates why educational interventions must be assessed by what eventually happens to the children who benefit from them.
He also pointed to improved academic performances among students from communities including Nkronso, Bunsu and Apapam, arguing that children from less privileged backgrounds can compete successfully when given the appropriate academic support and opportunities.
The Abuakwa South Municipal Education Directorate has similarly credited the competitions with encouraging critical thinking, confidence, teamwork and healthy competition among schools.
The Directorate described the initiative as more than an annual contest, saying it has increasingly become a platform for nurturing potential scientists, doctors, educators, innovators and other professionals.
