At just 13 years old, Melchizedek Adio Baafawiise has made history as the youngest student to gain admission into the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
His exceptional academic performance and passion for science have earned him a place among Ghana’s brightest young minds.
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Born on April 2, 2011, in Samoa, Upper West Region, Melchizedek achieved an impressive WASSCE result, securing 5 A1s in subjects including Physics and Mathematics. His outstanding performance enabled him to bypass Forms 2 and 3 at St. Cyprian’s Minor Seminary SHS in Sawla, fast-tracking his entry into tertiary education.
Despite his young age, Melchizedek is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Physics, a field he believes will help him explore his interests before making a final decision on his career path. Initially, he aspired to become a pilot, but after learning about the challenges and limitations in the aviation industry, he decided to broaden his scope by studying Physics.
“If I study Physics, I’ll get to discover my true interest. By my third or fourth year, I’ll decide whether to specialize in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering,” he explained.
Melchizedek finds great fascination in Mechanics, enjoying its practical applications and experiments. However, he admits that topics like Electricity and Magnetism feel too abstract, as he struggles to visualize the movement of electrons.
“I love the calculations and the mechanics. When you perform experiments, you get to feel them. Even though with electricity, you perform experiments, you don’t see the electrons moving,” he said.
Coming from a family of educators—his father an Economics teacher and his mother a primary school teacher—Melchizedek was raised in an environment that nurtured his academic potential. Though initially intimidated by the idea of being surrounded by much older university students, he has quickly adjusted and now finds the experience normal.
“It doesn’t seem like much of a difference. It’s just normal,” he remarked.
His remarkable achievement serves as an inspiration to young learners across the country, proving that talent, hard work, and determination can break barriers at any age.
