President Akufo-Addo does not want only his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to break the eight-year political cycle.
He also want students of the Legon Presbyterian Boys School (Presec) to do whatever it takes also ‘break the eight’ by winning the National Maths and Science Quiz (NMSQ) for the eight time.
This was when he received a delegation from the school, comprising the three students who contested in the immediate past competition for and on behalf of PRESEC, the school authorities at PRESEC, management of Prime Time, the organisers of the competition,and the quiz mistress, Professor Elsie A. B. Effah Kaufmann .
He commended the school which emerged winners of the 2022 edition of the National Science and Maths Quiz (NMSC), for securing the coveted trophy for the seventh time.
He, therefore advised the students to take their studies serious and refrain from things that can affect their future but still make time for recreation to become good citizens.
Sometime in October this year, the Presec students including Alfred Ken Nsiah, John Enim Tenkorang, and Austin Afutu, pulled a surprise in the final round, five of the competition when they overtook Prempeh College who were leading in the earlier rounds.
PRESEC ended the final round with 50 points as against the 41 secured by Prempeh College and 32 points by Adisadel College.
It is for this reason an obviously excited President Akufo-Addo said “next year you must break the eight” to the applause of many.
For him, winning the seventh title meant that the school was the undisputed king of NMSQ and they should be proud of that achievement.
He took the opportunity to pay tribute to past and present management, teaching and non-teaching staff, alumni and students for their contribution towards the development of the nation.
To the quiz mistress, Dr. Elsa Kaufman, the organisers, Primetime, and the sponsors he expressed the appreciation of a grateful nation for an excellent initiative.
President Akufo-Addo talked of Mathematics as the foundation of the new Sciences of the 21st century, for which reason he said its mastery by young people would be a major contribution to the development of the country.
He, therefore, told the students they have a lot to learn from their predecessors though they lived in more interesting times and urged them to seize the opportunities in the school and the many advantages that come from having such a wide range of powerful alumni.
He called on staff of the school to continue to imbibe in the students the virtues of the Presbyterian church which include fortitude, temperance, prudence and Justice which had served many and the nation well.
The Headmaster of PRESEC, Legon, David Odjidja, said before the introduction of the Free Senior High School policy, the average number of students admitted to the school was about 800 but this had shot up to 2,000 for just form one student alone.
He said the school was excited that the Free SHS policy had offered more young people the opportunity to experience the PRESEC training and that it was prepared to do more.
He however asked the President to help the school to get a 12-unit science lab.
This, he said would augment that pressure on the old laboratory that had served the school for 30 years and would also use it to commemorate the 85 anniversary of the school and for winning the seventh NMSQ.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent