NSMQ 2026: Ofori Panin SHS Breaks Seven-Year Wait, Knocks Out St Peter’s to Reach Quarter-finals!

SMS Auditorium, August 26, 2026

Ofori Panin Senior High School has pulled off a dramatic victory over three-time NSMQ champions St. Peter’s Senior High School and Winneba Senior High School.

The victory ends a seven-year wait for seeded status and books Ofori Panin a place in the Quarter-final Stage of the 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) National Championship.

What began as a promising contest for Ofori Panin SHS quickly developed into a nerve-racking battle, with St. Peter’s fighting back strongly and the lead changing hands before a tense Riddle Bonanza finally settled the contest.

Ofori Panin came out firing in Round One, answering questions with confidence and ruthlessly capitalising on every opportunity presented by their opponents. Whenever a school faltered, Ofori Panin was ready to pounce on the bonus points.

For St. Peter’s, however, the opening round was a frustrating affair. A string of wrong answers drew audible sighs from their supporters as the three-time champions struggled to find their rhythm. At the end of the round, Ofori Panin held the early advantage with 18 points, followed by St. Peter’s SHS and Winneba SHS with 11 and nine points respectively.

With the deficit threatening to widen, St. Peter’s SHS made a substitution before Round Two, hoping to inject fresh energy into their campaign. But Ofori Panin showed no signs of slowing down.

In the Truster AI Speed Race, Ofori Panin SHS repeatedly beat the buzzer, grabbing several questions with impressive speed and precision. Just when it appeared Ofori Panin were pulling away, St. Peter’s SHS found their footing.

The three-time champions began answering successive questions correctly which closed the gap dramatically, sending a renewed wave of excitement through the auditorium.

When the speed race ended, Ofori Panin SHS still held the lead on 18 points, but St. Peter’s had surged to 16 points, with Winneba SHS close behind on 15 points.

In the Prudential Life Insurance Problem of the Day Round, St. Peter’s SHS delivered a flawless performance, scoring 10 out of 10 to claim the GH₵2,400 NSMQ Star Prize.

The response from their supporters reflected the significance of the moment.

After a difficult opening, St. Peter’s had suddenly announced themselves as serious contenders. Winneba SHS was equally impressive, missing just one point to score nine out of 10, while Ofori Panin managed eight points.

The Jupay Money Transfer True or False Round only intensified the drama. Ofori Panin SHS edged ahead with 39 points, just one point clear of St. Peter’s SHS, who had climbed to 38 points. Winneba SHS remained within striking distance with 29 points. With only the final round remaining, the atmosphere inside the auditorium changed. Every answer now mattered. Every hesitation could prove costly.

In the GOIL Riddle Bonanza, Ofori Panin struck first, claiming the opening riddle. Winneba SHS responded with the second, before St. Peter’s finally joined the chase by securing the third. With the contest hanging in the balance, everything came down to the final riddle.

Ofori Panin seized the moment, cracking the final riddle, adding the crucial points needed to pull away from St. Peter’s and send the three-time champions crashing out of the competition. Ofori Panin finished with 45 points, with St. Peter’s SHS ending with 41 points and Winneba SHS with 29 points. The victory not only secured Ofori Panin’s passage to the Quarter-final Stage, but also earned them seeded status after seven years of waiting.

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

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

Ofori Panin SHS      24 points

St Peter’s SHS  17 points

Winneba SHS            09 points

Round Two (Trustur AI Speed Race)

Ofori Panin SHS      18 points

St Peter’s SHS  16 points

Winneba SHS            15 points

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

Ofori Panin SHS   +08   26 points

St Peter’s SHS  +10 26 points

Winneba SHS        +9    24 points

Round Four (Jupay Money Transfer True/False)                         

Ofori Panin SHS      39 points

St Peter’s SHS  38 points

Winneba SHS            29 points

Round Five (GOIL Super Bonanza)                                             

Ofori Panin SHS      45 points

St Peter’s SHS  41 points

Winneba SHS           33 points