Managing Director of PrimeTime Limited, Nana Akua Mensa Bonsu, has revealed that the 2026 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) regional and zonal championships were not organised due to sponsorship challenges.
She made the disclosure at the launch of the 2026 NSMQ on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at the GNAT Hall in Accra.
According to her, the regional and zonal championships, which are traditionally supported by partner sponsors, could not be held this year because the necessary sponsorship was not secured.
“Unfortunately, due to sponsorship challenges, we were not able to hold the regional and zonal championships, which is the role of the partner sponsor, but we feel that the excitement the regional qualifiers generated is still enough to carry us through,” she explained.
She expressed hope that corporate organisations would support the competition in subsequent years to enable the return of the regional and zonal stages.
“We hope that in the coming year, Corporate Ghana will support us once more to bring back the regional and zonal championships,” she added.
Nana Akua Mensa Bonsu also explained that this year’s competition has experienced a change in its usual schedule due to an adjustment to the academic calendar for schools by the Ghana Education Service (GES).
She noted that unlike previous years, when the regional championships were held before the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the qualifiers were organised after the examination this year.
“This year, because of the change in the calendar for the schools by GES, the regionals were held after the WASSCE,” she said.
Meanwhile, the national championship is scheduled to begin on Monday, August 17, 2026, at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), with 174 schools expected to participate.
The participating schools include 27 seeded schools and five private schools.
The Primetime MD also acknowledged Mankraso Senior High School and Amanianpong Senior High School as the first Category C schools to receive seeded status after reaching the semi-final stage of last year’s competition.
She further welcomed nine debutants who will participate in the national championship for the first time. They are Wansen SHS, Pentecost SHS-Koforidua, Bepong SHS, Namong SHS, Dabala SHTS, Enyan Denkyira SHTS, T. I. Amass-Wa, Jukwa SHTS and Esaase Bontifufuo SHTS.
“We are always excited when we have new schools participating in the national championships because it means that the competition is growing,” she added.
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Story by Emmanuella Ntowbea Marbell |univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Erica Odeenyin Odoom
