Forum: Time to make quizzing mainstream in Singapore

We are a knowledge-obsessed nation. However, curiously, the quizzing scene has not taken off in Singapore.

We celebrated Singaporean quizzer Maximilian Zeng’s stellar achievement in helping his team win at British television quiz show University Challenge (Max Zeng never expected to win University Challenge: ‘I’d be pacing around trying not to vomit’, April 8, 2022). However, there is no equivalent quizzing competition for our local schools.

A major factor for this apathy towards quizzing could be our population’s lack of exposure to its joy. I was watching an episode of the American iteration of the quizzing show The Chase. However, it is striking to discover upon searching online that other equally thrilling iterations of the franchise are not broadcast on our local mainstream media.

Quizzing has the potential to become popular here, given our love for knowledge. It could also be a hobby taken up by more Singaporeans.

Singapore has the talent to perform at the top level in international quizzing competitions, including the World Quizzing Championships. Hosting quizzing activities locally would also allow us to incorporate questions unique to our region.

National quizzing competitions could be made an annual event here, placed on an equal footing with other key events like the Singapore Youth Festival and the National School Games. This would give students another way to go beyond classroom learning.

Other nations have already immersed themselves in this global phenomenon. It is now time to put Singapore’s mark on the global quizzing scene. 

Martin Liao