Today we look at the past winners of the National Science & Maths Quiz. As of 2023, only 11 schools have won the final trophy. The full list of past winners of NSMQ is provided in the table here.
The National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) has been a highly regarded educational competition in Ghana since its inception in 1994. Organized by Primetime, the competition allows schools to showcase their proficiency in Science and Maths through selected representatives.
Both current and former students like myself in the country find great enjoyment in watching the NSMQ, making it one of the most talked-about events in Ghana. Despite a brief hiatus in 2010 and 2011, the competition has been held annually, providing a platform for schools to demonstrate their academic prowess.
The National Science and Maths Quiz brings together Senior High Schools from different regions, all eager to showcase their skills and compete against each other. The prelims serve as a platform for these schools to prove their worth and secure a spot in the highly anticipated quarter-finals. With the ultimate goal of winning at the finals, every participating school puts in their best effort, leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory.
The stakes are high, as the top-performing schools not only earn recognition and glory but also gain a valuable advantage for the following year. Seeded schools, those that excel in the competition, are exempt from the preliminary stages in the subsequent event, giving them a head start and a chance to further solidify their reputation as the best of the best.
Past NSMQ Winners Since 1994
Out of these 11 schools, Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School, Legon is the highest winner with eight (8) wins starting from 1995 a year after the competition first started through 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2022 and their last win in now in 2023.
Although Prempeh College will always be remembered for being the first school to win the contest at it’s launch back in 1994.
Here is a list of schools that have won the NSMQ title since it’s inception in 1994.
| No. | School | Year |
| 1. | Prempeh College, Kumasi | 1994, 1996, 2015, 2017, 2021 |
| 2. | Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School, Legon | 1995, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2022, 2023 |
| 3. | Opoku Ware School, Kumasi | 1997, 2002 |
| 4. | Achimota School, Accra | 1998, 2004 |
| 5. | Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast | 1999, 2014 |
| 6. | St. Peter’s Secondary School, Nkwatia | 2000, 2005, 2018 |
| 7. | Pope John Secondary School, Koforidua | 2001 |
| 8. | St. Augustine’s College, Cape Coast | 2007, 2019 |
| 9. | Ghana Secondary Technical School, Takoradi | 2012 |
| 10. | St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School, Accra | 2013 |
| 11. | Adisadel College | 2016 |
PRESEC is the only school to have won the NSMQ contest two times in a row and twice. 2008 and 2009 and 2022 and 2023. With anticipation, we wait to see if they can make it a three consecutive win in 2024.