NSMQ 2026: NEW BLOOD, BIG DREAMS - 10 FIRST-TIMERS STORM CHAMPIONSHIP!

Ten schools will make their debut at the National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) National Championship this year, bringing fresh energy, ambition and the hopes of communities eager to see their schools make a mark on the national stage.

Far from coming merely to gain experience, the debutants say they are ready to challenge the ‘so called big names’ in the competition and prove that first-timers can compete with the best.

The 10 debutants are:

• Esaase Bontefufuo SHTS – Ashanti Region

• Namong SHTS – Ashanti Region

• Enyan Denkyira SHTS – Central Region

• Jukwa SHTS – Central Region

• Dabala SHTS – Volta Region

• Bepong SHS – Eastern Region

• Pentecost SHS, Koforidua – Eastern Region

• Nkawkaw SHS – Eastern Region

• T.I. AMASS, Wa – Upper West Region

• Mansen SHS, Wamfie – Bono Region

For Esaase Bontefufuo SHTS, their qualification to the National Championship sparked celebrations across the school. Their Quiz Coordinator, Joseph Twumasi Dankwa described the moment as deeply personal. Speaking to the NSMQ Communications Team, Mr Dankwa said he was “on cloud nine”, particularly because he is an alumnus of the school and had played a role in helping his alma mater reach the National Championship.

“Doing it for your own people, coming home and helping your school to qualify was so amazing,” he said.

After competing at the regional level since 2023, Esaase Bontefufuo SHTS has finally secured a place at the National Championship, and they are here to stay. One of their contestants, Amos Dotsey Woelawo, said the team is determined to justify the confidence placed in them and make their supporters back home proud.

“We are promising the people of Amansie West District that we will not disappoint them,” he said.

For T.I. AMASS, Wa, this year’s qualification marks the end of an 11-year wait, and the team is determined to make its return to the National Championship count. Rather than being intimidated by the seeded schools, the debutants say they are ready to face the competition head-on.

Speaking to the NSMQ Communications Team, team member Salman Haruna said the team would not be fazed by the prospect of facing some of the competition’s strong competitors.

With confidence running high, the team has set its sights beyond simply making an appearance, targeting a place in the Quarter final Stage in its first National Championship.

At Mansen SHS, qualifying for the National Championship was a moment of immense joy, not only for the students but also for the staff, school authorities and the wider community. Speaking to the NSMQ Communications Team, team member Rosemond Asiama, a Form One student, said the achievement had brought the entire school together in celebration.

“It was a moment of joy not only for us, the students, but the staff, our headmaster and the entire community, and we’re here to do more,” she said.

Now, with their place on the national stage secured, the team is setting its sights beyond simply making an appearance. Rosemond said they are optimistic about progressing deep into the competition.

“We are very optimistic, and we are looking forward to the contest. We are so hopeful that we will move to the next stage. We want to get to the Semi-final Stage.”

For Pentecost SHS, the journey from watching the NSMQ as students to becoming contestants has been particularly special. Speaking to the NSMQ Communications Team, Blessed Yeboah said the team is ready to surprise its opponents.

“They should watch out! I learned about the NSMQ in Junior High School, and being a contestant today feels good. We are anticipating going far, maybe to the Quarter-final Stage, or even all the way to the Grand finale.”  He stated.

The confidence extends across the debutant teams. Enyan Denkyira SHTS, who have secured their first National Championship appearance as a landmark achievement, while Bepong SHS ended a two-year wait after defeating Benkum SHS in a dramatic regional contest and winning the subsequent tiebreaker.

For both schools, qualification is more than an achievement; it is an opportunity to prove that they can compete against schools with years of national experience.

As the 2026 NSMQ National Championship gets underway on Thursday, August 20, 2026, the 10 debutants will step onto the national stage carrying more than just their school colours. They carry the hopes of their students, teachers, and communities and the determination to show that debutant does not mean underdog.

The 2026 edition of the National Science & Maths Quiz is produced by Primetime Limited and proudly sponsored by the Ghana Education Service (GES), with support from GOIL PLC, Joy News, Prudential Life Insurance Ghana, Pepsodent, Trustur AI, Jupay Money Transfer, Lumevax, GTP, SpinCiti Landromat, Didi Jollof, Bel Beverages, Accra College of Medicine and Coronation Insurance.