NSMQ 2026: St. Louis SHS Rules the Contest, Secures One-eighth Spot and GH¢2,800 in Prizes
CNC Auditorium- August 3, 2026
The final contest of Day One featured St. Louis SHS, SDA SHS, Bekwai and T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS, Salaga, with St. Louis SHS emerging victorious to secure a place in the One-eighth Stage of the 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) National Championship.
The 2023 Semi-finalists dominated the contest at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) auditorium, maintaining their lead across all five rounds to bring Day One of the Preliminary Stage to a close on a high note. Moderating the contest was, Mrs. Rachel Annoh.
St. Louis SHS set the pace from the opening round, taking an early lead with 25 points. SDA SHS followed with 19 points, while T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS had 11 points.
St. Louis SHS extended its lead in the Trustur AI Speed Race in Round Two, pushing its score to 43 points, while SDA SHS and T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS recorded 16 and 10 points, respectively.
The lead widened further in the third round as St. Louis SHS reached 53 points after securing a full 10 points in the Prudential Life NSMQ Star Problem of the Day and winning the NSMQ Star award worth GH₵2000. SDA SHS had 23 points, while T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS moved up to 11 points.
Before the start of the fourth round, the Jupay Money Transfer True/False, all three schools made changes to their teams in a bid to strengthen their chances. The changes proved particularly effective for SDA SHS, Bekwai, who answered all their questions correctly to win the Jupay Clean Sheet Award worth GH¢500. St. Louis SHS, however, maintained its lead, ending the fourth round with 60 points, while SDA SHS and T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS had 39 and 18 points, respectively.
St. Louis SHS went on to dominate the GOIL Riddle Bonanza, answering all three riddles correctly to win GH¢800. The feat earned the school its second award of the day, following its earlier win in the Prudential Life NSMQ Star Problem of the Day.
In total, three awards were won during the contest, with SDA SHS, Bekwai taking the Jupay Clean Sheet Award, while St. Louis SHS won the Prudential Life NSMQ Star Problem of the Day and GOIL Riddle Bonanza.
Reflecting on their victory, St. Louis SHS contestant, Barikisu attributed the team’s performance to God’s grace and the support of their teachers and parents.
“I won’t say much at all. We are looking to God, and whatever plan He has for us is what is going to happen… but the other schools, they should just wait for us. We are coming. By the grace of God, we shall bring the glory back to St. Louis SHS,” she added.
Mr Isaac Banyala Jnr, the Quiz Coordinator for St. Louis SHS, who lead Amaniampong SHS to its first-ever Semi-finals appearance in 2025, also expressed confidence in the team’s prospects, saying he believed the school could make history by becoming the first girls’ school to win the National Championship.
The Round-by-Round Scores for this contest stood as follows:
Round One General Questions (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology)
St. Louis SHS 25 points
SDA SHS, Bekwai 19 points
T. I Ahmadiyya SHS, Salaga 11 points
Round Two (Trustur AI Speed Race)
St. Louis SHS 43 points
SDA SHS, Bekwai 16 points
T. I Ahmadiyya SHS, Salaga 10 points
Round Three Prudential Life Insurance NSMQ Star (Problem of the Day)
St. Louis SHS 53 points
SDA SHS, Bekwai 23 points
T. I Ahmadiyya SHS, Salaga 11 points
Round Four (Jupay Money Transfer True/False)
St. Louis SHS 60 points
SDA SHS, Bekwai 39 points
T. I Ahmadiyya SHS, Salaga 18 points
Round Five (GOIL Super Bonanza)
St. Louis SHS 69 points
SDA SHS, Bekwai 39 points
T. I Ahmadiyya SHS, Salaga 18 points
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 Laundromat, Didi Jollof, Bel Beverages, Accra College of Medicine, Coronation Insurance Ghana, Academic City University and YFM.
