The Quiz Mistresses’ Legacy: NSMQ’s Iconic Voices Since 1993

Since its inception in 1993, the National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) has become a platform for STEM advocacy and a symbol of national pride. At the heart of this transformative journey are the remarkable women who have served as Quiz Mistresses, each bringing intellect, poise and purpose to the contest. Their contributions have upheld the integrity of the competition and also profoundly influenced girls’ schools and young women across Ghana, nurturing dreams of STEM careers and shattering gender stereotypes.

Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy: A Trailblazer and the First Face of NSMQ

The journey began with the late Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Ghana, who became the NSMQ’s first Quiz Mistress in 1993. As the founding face of the competition, she laid the foundation for what would become a national programme. Her academic brilliance and commanding presence sent a powerful message to girls across the country to purse science and maths.

Prof. Addy’s tenure lasted until 2000. In a landscape where women in STEM were underrepresented, she embodied what was possible. Her impact still resonates and her legacy lives on through the Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy Award for Best Team, instituted in 2015 by Mr. Bubune Adih, NSMQ 1999 Champion, in honour of his mentor, Professor Marian Ewurama Addy.

 

Dr Eureka Emefa Adomako

In 2001, the mantle was passed to Dr Eureka Emefa Adomako, now a respected academic and environmentalist. She moderated the competition until 2005, continuing the tradition of excellence and fairness established by her predecessor. Her presence on the NSMQ stage sustained the representation of female leadership in science, reinforcing the message that women belong in STEM spaces—not only as students but also as experts and arbiters of knowledge.

Her intellectual depth provided a different, yet equally empowering, image for young girls to emulate.

Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann

In 2006, Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences and Founding Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Ghana, assumed the role of Quiz Mistress for the NSMQ.

Prof. Kaufmann’s presence is iconic. With her sharp intellect, warm composure and exacting standards, she has become a household name, especially among girls in STEM. Her commitment to fairness, excellence and mentorship has inspired countless young women to aim higher. Beyond moderating, she has become a symbol of female academic leadership, representing what years of dedication, education and passion can achieve.

The Supporting Quiz Mistresses

With the expansion of the competition, particularly at the preliminary and one-eighth stages, new female moderators joined the NSMQ family in 2020, reinforcing the programme’s intentional focus on female representation.

Dr Gladys Odey Schwinger: Dr Mrs Gladys Odey Schwinger is a Lecturer with the Department of Plant and Environmental Biology at the University of Ghana, Legon. She holds a PhD in Environmental Science, a Master of Philosophy degree in Botany, and a Bachelor of Science degree, also in Botany. She is passionate about nature conservation, generally, with specific interests in the Ecology and Ethnobotany of medicinal plants. Her current research interests include Ecological Niche Modelling, Phytochemistry, Biogeography, and activity of Ghanaian medicinal plants on Disease-causing Microbes.

Dr Thelma Ohene-Agyei: Dr Thelma Ohene-Agyei is currently a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department at the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, University of Ghana, Legon. Her research interests cover Pharmacotherapy of Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance, as well as Innovations in Pharmacy Education and Practice. She graduated with B. Pharm (Pharmacy) and M. Phil (Pharmacology) degrees from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. She also has a PhD. in Pharmacology from the University of Cambridge, UK.

Dr Anita Adjoa Oppong: Dr Anita Adjoa Oppong, a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Ghana and a former NSMQ contestant who represented Ghana National College in 2005, brings a unique and inspiring perspective. Her journey from the contestant podium to the moderator’s seat, now serving as Quiz Mistress for the National Championship from the Preliminary Stage to the One-eighth Stage, is a powerful testimony to the impact of the NSMQ in shaping career paths and reinforcing the value of representation.

These women, with their varied expertise in pharmacy, botany, chemistry and biomedical engineering, underscore the message that the sciences are diverse, dynamic and welcoming to women.

Inspiring a Generation of Girls

Primetime’s consistent policy of appointing female scientists as Quiz Mistresses has been a bold and purposeful strategy. It has inspired confidence among female students and encouraged schools to invest more in training girls for the competition. Girls’ schools such as Wesley Girls’ High School, Aburi Girls’ SHS, Holy Child School, St. Louis SHS, Archbishop Porter Girls’ SHS, Mfantsiman Girls’ SHS and Krobo Girls’ SHS have all proudly represented at various stages of the NSMQ, just to mention a few. Seeing themselves reflected at the highest levels of the competition, these schools have stepped up, and year after year, they come closer to claiming the championship.

As the NSMQ continues to grow, so does its influence. With a new generation of girls rising through the ranks, supported by dedicated teachers, proud alumni and inspiring role models like the Quiz Mistresses, the dream of a girls’ school lifting the trophy is no longer a distant aspiration but a tangible and imminent reality.