Tyrone Iras Marhguy, a Computer Engineering Student, University of Pennsylvania and a former Student, Achimota School, has detailed why he could not represent his former school in the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ).
According to Tyrone Iras Marhguy, subject mismatches played a key role in his absence from the competition, adding that, particularly, the absence of biology shaped the outcome of his NSMQ participation.
It will be recalled that Tyrone Marhguy gained admission to Achimota School in 2021 following a landmark court decision after he was denied admission because he was a Rastafarian.
Speaking in an interview with Kofi TV on February 4, 2026, Marhguy recounted, “When I entered Achimota School, I was considering general science and had aspirations to pursue medicine or biology.
However, when I arrived, the biology classes were full, leaving me with no choice but to study ICT instead. This shift exposed me to programming, which gradually steered my interests toward engineering. Yes, it had a profound effect on my NSMQ experience”.
He explained, “Achimota School boasts numerous exceptionally bright students, and that certainly contributes to the competitive environment. Additionally, I wasn’t focusing on biology anyway. In a scenario where I was present, it would mean that I was one of the few handling the biology content,” he explained.
“In Achimota School, I wouldn’t necessarily aim for that, but I took a trial test, and despite not having a biology score, I ranked first overall in math. I don’t remember my rankings in other subjects, but I ended up third overall without any points from biology. When the Top 15 were selected, I was fortunate enough to be included in that group.”
“It’s interesting to point out that while I may not excel in biology, I do have my strengths in math, and those differences define our specialisations”, he added.
Meanwhile, Tyrone Iras Marhguy was in the news some days ago after news emerged of him building a working 8-bit Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) using only discrete MOSFETs.
The impressive 8-bit ALU is specifically an arithmetic and logic core which could eventually become part of a CPU.
In the viral video shared on X, Tyrone Iras Marhguy built the 8-bit ALU from scratch without a fully equipped laboratory in his dorm room.
In his post, Tyrone Marhguy on social media wrote, “I built a functional 8-bit ALU from 3,488 transistors in my dorm. 🎉
19 ops • 7 status flags • 5-bit control • 8-bit word size
– 3D site: https://alu.tmarhguy.com
– Repo: http://github.com/tmarhguy/alu
Verified with 1.245M test vectors (Verilog twin). This is the arithmetic engine on the path to a CPU — built from first principles.
Next up: optimization, error checks, PCB order, assembly, and hardware testing”.
Watch the video below:
🇬🇭 Tyrone Marhguy speaks about how he was unable to represent Achimota School at the National Science & Maths Quiz
— CDR AFRICA (@cdrafrica) February 4, 2026
Cc: @kofitv pic.twitter.com/1hCGERwoXc