Zain Africa Challenge Is Back
Once again, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Valley View University and the University of Development Studies have advanced to the finals of the Zain Africa Challenge for the second time.
University of Ghana was the only new entrant to join the other teams that advanced to the finals, making it a total of four universities that would represent Ghana at the Zain Africa Challenge International Championship & Festival in Kampala, Uganda in 2010.
The battle was closely fought in the double knockout competition to form the national team who would represent Ghana.
The display of intellectual prowess was witnessed during Ghana's second edition of the Zain Africa Challenge held at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, with seven of the country's finest universities battling it out for the chance to compete with other African Universities in the finals of the competition.
The Zain Africa Challenge is the first-ever televised Pan African academic competition to be organized for students of registered universities in Africa.
These include Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
The objective of the initiative is to develop the intellect of Africa's youth and highlight the excellent educational opportunities that African Universities offer to its citizens.
All the contenders are quizzed in a fast-paced manner that leaves no room for error.
Zain would present $50,000 to the winning University and $5,000 to the student contestants, which is part of Zain's $1,000,000 total investment in educational grants and teaching materials.
The questions in the fast-paced quiz programme cover a wide range of topical areas including history, science, African culture, geography, literature, music and current events.
Last year, the University of Cape Coast made it to the finals; but unfortunately it did not qualify this year, together with the University of Mines, Tarkwa and University of Education, Winneba.
Comments from the audience confirmed the improvement in the contestants' performances this year.
Zain Africa Challenge is one of the corporate social responsibility initiatives of the Zain Group. Education of the youth is paramount to the development of any country.
Zain is focusing on education, arts and culture and as such has pledged to help develop the minds of the youth through non-conventional but fun activities, events and programmes.
In an opening statement at the beginning of competition, the Manager for Corporate Communications and External Affairs of Zain Ghana, Carmen Bruce-Annan said, “Zain is committed to boosting the quality of education in Ghana.
This competition was established to sharpen the brain power and intellect of our students.”