Cool Schools Quiz hosts named

The preliminary stage which is scheduled for June 29 will see the country’s 10 provinces participating with the top four schools proceeding to the televised national finals on August 2-3 this year.

In a statement, the Book of African Records said Gifford High will be representing Bulawayo while for Hararians, the venue will be at Churchill Boys High. For Manicaland, Mutare Boys High plays host and Chaplin High will cater for all Midlands province schools. Hermann Gmeiner High is hosting Mashonaland Central with Goromonzi High serving Mashonaland East.

Chinhoyi High hosts Mashonaland West and for Masvingo, Victoria High is the hosting school. The two Mataeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces will see Tinde Secondary and Thekwani High as hosts.

According to the organisers, the selection was based on their capacity to host a large number of participating schools and their strategic location. “About 300 schools across the country are expected to participate,” said the organisers.

For the first time in the history of televised quizzes in Zimbabwe, private colleges are also free to participate and face off with traditional giants. Schools will be chasing the coveted prizes of scholarships to State universities for the national champions and a trip to Egypt for the first runner-up.

However, a consolation prize for the runners-up, to be sponsored by the Book of African Records, is an educational trip to the Egyptian Pyramids whereas the third-placed team will get a trip to Victoria Falls, sponsored by Khanondo Safaris.

“We have put together fabulous prizes for the winning schools and it is our hope that we will empower the youths in a big way,” Errol Muzawazi, the editor-in-chief of the Book of African Records said.

The quiz tournament is a collaborative effort with ZBCTV and the 2013 national finals will be broadcast on ZBCTV for 26 weeks during prime time.

This year’s edition is targeting schools with Advanced Level while the 2014 edition will be more inclusive, bringing to television a primary schools quiz, a high schools’ quiz, a universities’ quiz as well as a quiz for the general public.

According to the entry rules, a school in Zimbabwe can field only one team for the provincial group stages.

Cool Lifestyle is the official print media partner and will be covering the show.