NSMQ 2026: PRESEC, Legon Stands tall, Returns to the Grand Finale After Two years!
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Main Auditorium- September 3, 2026
The race to the Grand Finale intensified in the Semi-final Stage as eight-time champions, Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School, the Lions of Tamale Senior High School and first-time Semi-finalists St. John’s School went head-to-head for a place in the finale.
At the end of the battle, Presbyterian Boys’ Sec. Sch. secured a return to the NSMQ Grand Finale after a two-year absence. PRESEC held their nerve through a fiercely contested encounter with St. John’s School and Tamale SHS, pulling away in the decisive rounds to finish on 44 points and book their place in the Grand Finale once again.
For St. John’s School, simply reaching the Semi-final Stage was already historic. But they were not in the mood to settle for a milestone appearance. As the school celebrates its 75th anniversary, the team arrived determined to give their anniversary year a memorable ending.
Mr Michael Obeng, the coordinator said the contestants had battled setbacks during their preparations but remained confident that they had done enough to compete at the highest level. “We are not afraid of anything we are prepared for victory”, Mr. Michael Obeng said.
Tamale SHS, meanwhile, brought experience to the contest, making its third appearance at the Semi-final Stage. The Lions had previously fallen in Keta SHTS in 2021 and 2024, but they were determined to rewrite that story.
Their coordinator William James Akampulimba acknowledged that Tamale SHS appeared to be the underdogs but remained confident in the team’s ability to navigate the questions.
“We look like the underdogs, but this is a knowledge-based programme,” he said. “If the line of questions goes in all directions, then I believe we will pick it.”
Presbyterian Boys’ Sec. Sch. however, entered the auditorium with a reputation that needed no introduction. Eight-time champions and perennial contenders, they knew exactly what was at stake and wasted little time asserting their authority.
With the Main Auditorium buzzing with anticipation, the three schools came out firing from the opening round.
Presbyterian Boys’ Sec. Sch. did not hesitate to remind their rivals why they are eight-time champions. They stormed to the top with 19 points at the end of Round One. St. John’s School also showed no signs of being overawed by the occasion, picking up 15 points. Tamale SHS, however, endured a difficult opening round, managing just seven points.
In the Truster AI Speed Race, Presbyterian Boys’ Sec. Sch. looked set to pull away, but a string of incorrect answers opened the door for St. John’s School. They seized the opportunity, closing the gap and turning the contest into a two-horse race.
When the round ended Presbyterian Boys’ Sec. Sch. still held the advantage with 23 points. St. John’s School had surged to 21 points just two points behind Presbyterian Boys’ Sec Sch. Tamale SHS however added two points and move to nine points.
The contest hit a wall in the Prudential Life Insurance Problem of the Day Round. The contestants were handed a demanding mathematical equation to simplify, but none of the three schools could crack it.
The difficulty prompted the Quiz Mistress to invoke the Akan adage, “Wantum annfa kɔtɔ annyɛ nkwan,” highlighting just how formidable the problem had proved. Tamale SHS and St. John’s School could not add any points to their tally. Presbyterian Boy’s Sec. Sch. managed just two points.
The Jupay Money Transfer True or False Round brought Presbyterian Boys’ Sec. Sch back into the competition. Substitute Brimpong Addai-Akosah led the charge, delivering accurate answers and helping them gain maximum points. This performance brought them closer to the Grand Finale. When the round ended Presbyterian Boys’ Sec. had 35 points, 10 points ahead of St. John’s School’s 25. Tamale SHS remained with 16 points.
Presbyterian Boy’s Sec. Sch. affirmed their place in the GOIL Super Bonanza Round. Demonstrating skill and sharp intuition, they correctly solved three out of the four riddles, while St. John’s School and Tamale SHS struggled to answer accurately. With a solid finish, Presbyterian Boy’s Sec. Sch. sealed all arguments on why they had to be at the finals, proving that they were indeed a team to watch put for.
They won the contest with 44 points in addition to a cash prize of GH₵2000 for answering the GOIL Super Bonanza. For St. John’s School, the dream of reaching the Grand Finale ended at 25 points, but their historic run to the semi-finals marked an impressive debut at the stage. Tamale SHS finished third with 16 points.
Round-by-Round Scores for this contest stood as follows:
Round One General Questions (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology)
Presbyterian Boy’s Sec. Sch: 19
St. John’s School: 15
Tamale SHS: 07
Round Two (Truster AI Speed Race)
Presbyterian Boy’s Sec. Sch: 23
St. John’s School: 21
Tamale SHS: 09
Round Three (Prudential Life Insurance NSMQ Problem of the Day)
Presbyterian Boy’s Sec. Sch: 25
Tamale SHS: 09
St. John’s School: 21
Round Four (Jupay Money Transfer True/False)
Presbyterian Boy’s Sec. Sch: 35
Tamale SHS: 16
St. John’s School: 26
Round Five (GOIL Super Bonanza)
Presbyterian Boy’s Sec. Sch: 44
Tamale SHS: 16
St. John’s School: 25
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, Cowbell, Trustur AI, Jupay Money Transfer, Lumevax, GTP, SpinCiti Laundromat, Didi Jollof, Bel Beverages, Accra College of Medicine, Coronation Insurance Ghana, Academic City University, Baldwin University College and YFM.
