By Francis Ntow, GNA
Cape Coast, Aug 31, GNA – Twenty-seven schools have advanced to the quarter-final stage of the 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) and secured seeded status following a thrilling one-eighth round that delivered shocking eliminations, triumphant comebacks and historic firsts.
By securing seeded status, the 27 quarterfinalists have earned automatic qualification for NSMQ 2027, skipping the Regional Qualifiers to enter the competition directly at the One-eighth Stage.
The one-eighth stage saw 81 schools compete across three days at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), with three schools making their maiden quarter-final qualification while some established powerhouses were toppled.
Among the 27 schools now seeded for 2027 NSMQ are Mfantsipim School, the reigning champions, Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary, Legon, all-time NSMQ champions, and Prempeh College, five-time champions.
The other quarter-final bound schools are St. Augustine’s College, and Achimota School, both two-time champions, 2016 winners, Adisadel College, and Pope John SHS and Minor Seminary, 2021 titleholders.
Keta SHTS, two-time finalists, Saviour SHS and Amaniampong SHS, semi-finalists, Bright SHS, University Practice SHS, Boa Amponsem SHS, Osei Tutu SHS, St. Hubert Min. Sem SHS, and Presby SHS, Bompata.
Mfantsiman Girls’ SHS, Aburi Girls’ SHS, the only two girls’ school in this year’s quarterfinal contest, Ofori Panin SHS, St. John’s Grammar School, Accra Academy, Chemu SHTS, Labone SHS, and Bishop Herman College completes the list.
In terms of regional representation, the Central Region claims the highest representation with seven seeded schools, while Greater Accra secured six slots. Ashanti and Eastern each have five, Volta maintains two, and Western and Northern have one each.
Bright SHS, a private school from the Eastern Region, achieved the most remarkable ascent, ending a three-year quest to break into the seeded ranks.
After defeating GSTS and Presby SHTS, Aburi, Bright SHS clinched 53 points to secure their maiden quarter-final berth and win the GH₵1,600 GOIL Riddle Bonanza award.
Similarly, Saviour SHS rose from preliminary-stage challenger to seeded-school status in electrifying fashion.
Also from Eastern Region, Saviour engineered a heroic upset over seeded Swedru Secondary School, winning by three points with 45 to Kpando’s 42 and Swedru’s 26.
After years defined by preliminary-stage heartbreak, Boa Amponsem clinched two crucial riddles in the final round of their One-eighth competition to defeat Nsutaman Catholic and Abetifi Presby, finally breaking through to the quarterfinals with maiden seeded qualification.
Opoku Ware School, two-time champions and 2025 finalists, became this year’s greatest casualty when Bishop Herman SHS engineered an upset at the CNC Auditorium to kick them out of the quiz, after a tiebreaker round with Asanteman SHS.
Ofori Panin SHS delivered a stunning reversal seven years in the making, ending three-time champions St. Peter’s SHS seeded reign, with a decisive 45-41 win to reclaim seeded status after a seven-year absence.
Tamale SHS exacted revenge against St. Thomas Aquinas SHS in a rematch with Aquinas who defeated them for seeded status in 2025. The Tamale Lions roared back with a commanding 56-29 victory, reclaiming lost glory and ending Aquinas’s one-year seeded reign.
Aburi Girls’ SHS retained seeded status with grit, recovering from three-round deficits against St. Joseph Seminary to win 38-20, becoming the first girls’ school to qualify for the quarterfinals.
Mfantsiman Girls’ also orchestrated perhaps the one-eighth stage’s most sensational comeback, overturning an eight-point deficit in the final round to defeat St. James Seminary 33-29, ending their 10-year decade quarter-final drought.
The quarter-final stage begins August 30 at the University of Cape Coast, featuring nine contests spread across three days, with Prempeh College, Keta SHTS and Ghana National College beginning the contest.
Subsequent contests involve Osei Tutu SHS, Ofori Panin SHS and Pope John SHS and Minor Seminary, as well as St. John’s Grammar School, Aburi Girl’s SHS and St. Augustine’s College.
Labone SHS St. Hubert Sem. SHS and Tamale SHS who open the Monday quarterfinal, followed by a contest between Mfantsiman Girls’ SHS, St. John’s School and Saviour SHS. Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School, Legon, Presby SHS, Bompata, and Mfantsipim School will wrap up the day’s contest.
The last quarterfinal contest will start with Amaniampiong SHS, Chemu SHTS and Bright SHS, followed by Achimota School, Boa Amponsem SHS and Adisadel College, with Accra Academy, University Practice SHS and Bishop Herman College crowning the day.
Nana Akua A. Mensa-Bonsu, the anaging Director of Primetime Ghana Limited, said the 2026 NSMQ had, so far, been exciting, producing shocks and comebacks as characteristic of the championship.
She assured of the team’s preparedness to working assiduously, leaving no stone unturned, for the grand finale in Accra, on September 10, with unwavering determination, intense of focus, and relentless hard work to ensure that the NSMQ made schools proud.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
31 Aug. 2026
Reporter: Francis Ntow