NSMQ 2025: Tamale SHS Loses Seed After Five Years as St. Thomas Aquinas SHS Advances to Quarter-finals

Auditorium 900 – October 26, 2025

The first contest of the One-eighth Stage of the 2025 National Championship of the National Science & Maths Quiz kicked off today as Tamale SHS, St. Thomas Aquinas SHS and O’Reilly SHS prepared to face one another in a fierce battle. Before the start of the contest, tension was thick in the air as feelings of uncertainty and anticipation could be felt among supporters, each school looking forward to securing a spot in the Quarter-final Stage.

The contest began with St. Thomas Aquinas SHS seizing a bonus question from Tamale SHS and answering it correctly. Tamale SHS, who entered the contest as a seeded school, immediately took a bonus back by answering a question that St. Thomas Aquinas had missed.

From the start, the Aquinas boys displayed confidence and determination, making it clear that they had come to win. At the end of Round One, St. Thomas Aquinas SHS led with 22 points, while Tamale SHS and O’Reilly SHS were tied at nine points each.

In Round Two, the “Trustur AI Speed Race”, St. Thomas once again showed their speed and dominance, ringing their bell and answering the first three questions correctly. Tamale picked up the pace, trying to catch up with Aquinas. At the end of the round, St. Thomas Aquinas SHS continued in the lead with 30 points, Tamale SHS followed with 24 points while O’Reilly SHS trailed with nine points.

At the end of Round Three, the “Prudential Life Insurance NSMQ Star Problem of the Day” St. Thomas Aquinas SHS secured five points, Tamale SHS and O’Reilly SHS tied with three points all out of ten.

Before the start of Round Four, the “Jupay Money Transfer True or False” round, Sulemana was brought in to replace Mohammed, both of Tamale SHS. This round was relatively smooth, with contestants answering each question with calm confidence. At the end of the round, St. Thomas Aquinas SHS led with 45 points, Tamale SHS followed with 34 points, and O’Reilly SHS trailed with 22 points.

In the fifth and final round, the “GOIL Riddle Bonanza”, the competition intensified as all three schools raced to solve riddles in a final effort to secure more points and win the GOIL Riddle Bonanza award.

At the end of the contest, St. Thomas Aquinas SHS emerged victorious with 51 points, earning a place in the Quarter-final Stage. Having reclaimed their seeded spot, St. Thomas Aquinas SHS appears poised to make a strong impact in this year’s championship.

The Round-by-Round Scores for this contest stood as follows:

Round One General Questions (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology)

St. Thomas Aquinas SHS: 22points

Tamale SHS: 09points

O’Reilly SHS: 09points

Round Two (Trustur AI Speed Race)

St. Thomas Aquinas SHS: 30points

Tamale SHS: 24points

O’Reilly SHS: 09points

Round Three Prudential Life Insurance NSMQ Star (Problem of the Day)

St. Thomas Aquinas SHS: +05  35points

Tamale SHS: +03  27points

O’Reilly SHS: +03  12points

Round Four (Jupay Money Transfer True/False)                         

St. Thomas Aquinas SHS: 45points

Tamale SHS: 34points

O’Reilly SHS: 22points

Round Five (GOIL Riddle Bonanza)                    

St. Thomas Aquinas SHS: 51points

Tamale SHS:  37points

O’Reilly SHS:  25points

The National Science & Maths Quiz is produced by Primetime Limited and proudly sponsored by the Ghana Education Service, in partnership with GOIL PLC, and supported by MoMo from MTN, Joy News, Pepsodent, Prudential life Insurance, Jupay Money Transfer, Trustur AI, Adansi Travels, RwandAir, Kivo Gari, SpinCITI Laundromat, Coronation Insurance, Secure Sanitary Pad, Accra College of Medicine, Academic City University, Bel Beverages, Flora Tissues, Imago from Hashcom, GTP, and YFM.