News

Schools' Challenge Quiz launched ...

Mrs. Yvonne Anderson, Acting General Manager of TVJ greets the audience at the launch of the 35th season of TVJ's School Challenge Quiz on Monday. - Carlington Wilmot

FIVE NEW SCHOOLS are among 70 schools vying for the right to be Schools' Challenge Quiz champions for 2004.

Those schools are Bog Walk High, Quality Academic, Kingsway High, and Tivoli High School from Kingston, and Tacky High School from St. Mary. Belair High from Manchester and St. Andrew High School for Girls are the two schools re-entering the contest after being absent for a number of years.

The launch, held at Television Jamaica (TVJ) in Half-Way Tree yesterday, was attended by sponsors, at least two past players of the competition and members of the RJR Communications Group. Schools' Challenge Quiz comes only two months after the Junior Schools' Challenge Quiz contest was held.

70 matches

This year's competition will see a total of 70 matches being contested in what is the longest running programme in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Of the 70 matches, 68 will be between the competing schools with the remainder being the Masters match and the coaches match. The season began yesterday with Jonathan Grant up against Bog Walk. All the matches will be played on Mondays and Tuesdays at 10:30 am. However, all the games will be broadcast at 8:30 pm Mondays to Thursdays during prime time.

In outlining match rules and the role of the judges in this year's competition, Michael Gonzales, producer of Schools' Challenge Quiz, said his team would be ensuring the standards of the competition were maintained. "We will be ensuring that the teamwork and respect for the judges' decision remain at the high standards it has always been," he said.

For this year's contest, viewers will again be given the opportunity to text in answers to questions via a Digicel phone. And, there is talk of a viewers' match which is being considered.

Guest speaker at the event, Jody Chen, director of Super Plus said some of his fondest memories of the competition was the hard work, practice and meeting students from other schools.

Other sponsors for this year's contest include Juici Patties and Colgate Palmolive.