As excitement mounts ahead of the 2025 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) National Championship in October, eleven schools from the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regions have secured their places after an intense week of regional battles.
While some schools return with years of experience, others are writing history with first-time qualifications in years. From dominant performances to dramatic comebacks, here’s an in-depth look at each school’s journey, their past records, and what one should expect at the national stage.
Notre Dame Girls’ SHS, representing the Bono Region, showed why they remain one of the most consistent female powerhouses in the competition. They went through the qualifiers with an impressive 78 points, the highest recorded in their zone this year, and booked their ninth consecutive appearance at the nationals since 2016.
Although they managed only 22 points in the Bono-Ahafo Zonal Final and placed fourth, their early performance suggests they still carry the intellectual muscle to make a deep run in the national championship.
Their past outings, at least reaching the one-eight stage twice in 2021 and 2023, have established them as a resilient and tactical team capable of upsetting top contenders. The contests after losing the zonal final believe they will not be affected, and promised to caused huge upset in October.
St. James Seminary SHS, also from Bono, topped the Bono-Ahafo Zonal Championship with 64 points in the finals, defeating rivals Sunyani SHS (31 points), Berekum Presby (27 points), and Notre Dame Girls’ SHS. After a painful quarterfinal exit to Presec Legon in 2024, St. James returned this year with precision and dominance.
Their zonal performance was a statement, this is a team that has matured with time and is hungry for revenge. The boys from Abesim say they’ve found the “antidote” to Presec’s quiz magic, and many will be watching to see if a rematch delivers fireworks.
Sunyani SHS, another strong force from the Bono Region, scored 31 points in the zonal final to place second. They have been consistent in making it to the nationals but are yet to make a real impact on the national leaderboard. With a zonal runner-up position under their belt, the school hopes to break that cycle and become a contender beyond the preliminary rounds.
Their strength lies in speed and teamwork, but their real test will come when paired against seeded giants from other regions.
Berekum Presbyterian SHS is making a return to the NSMQ national stage after a seven-year absence. The last time they qualified was in 2018. This year, they made headlines by staging a sensational last-round comeback in the zonal semifinals before claiming 27 points in the final.
Their journey has already inspired their student body, and the team will enter the nationals with the confidence of underdogs and the weight of redemption on their shoulders. They may not be tournament favourites, but their hunger could make them dangerous opponents.
Methodist SHTS, Berekum, also from the Bono Region, continues to build on a promising foundation after debuting in the nationals in 2023. They qualified for the 2025 nationals with 38 points during the regional contests, showing marked improvement and discipline.
Though they did not advance to the zonal final, their back-to-back qualification signals a growing intellectual culture within the school. With more exposure and better preparation, they could spring a few surprises at the nationals.
Dormaa SHS rounds out the Bono qualifiers with 33 points in the preliminary contest. While not as prominent on the NSMQ stage in recent years, Dormaa SHS has built a reputation regionally as a tough opponent.
They may lack the glitter of some seasoned competitors, but they’ve proven capable of grinding out tough wins. Their game strategy is methodical, and with the right draw, they could push into the one-eighth stage or further.
In the Ahafo Region, Serwaa Kesse Girls’ SHS dominated the qualifiers with a strong 55 points to top the region. This marks their second straight qualification after making their nationals debut in 2024.
Their victory was not just impressive, but symbolic of the growing strength of female-led schools in science and maths contests in Ghana. With added experience and a motivated squad, Serwaa Kesse will be aiming not just to participate but to challenge the status quo of male-dominated progress at the national level.
Samuel Otu Presby SHTS also earned qualification from Ahafo, scoring 33 points in their contest to book a spot at the nationals for the first time in the school’s history.
Their qualification marks a turning point for the school and adds to the growing list of Presbyterian schools making their presence felt at the NSMQ. While they are newcomers, the element of unpredictability can sometimes play to their advantage, no one knows what to expect from them, and that makes them a potential spoiler.
Mim SHS returns to the national competition after missing out in 2024. They secured qualification with the lowest score in the qualifiers, 18 points, in a closely fought contest in the Ahafo Region.
Their first appearance was in 2022, and while they have not yet made major inroads nationally, the school appears to be building steadily towards becoming a regular contender. This year offers them another chance to gain exposure and build on their experience.
In the Bono East Region, Tuobodom SHS emerged as one of the region’s top qualifiers after pulling off an upset over Kintampo SHS, who had been to the national competition for four straight years and are described as “Kings of Bono East”.
Tuobodom’s narrow three-point win stunned observers and confirmed their emergence as serious challengers. They are a confident side, and their resilience under pressure will serve them well at the national level, especially in tightly contested group stages.
Completing the Bono East qualifiers is Methodist Girls’ SHS, who also secured a slot at the nationals not for the first time.
The qualification marks their second appearance at the national championship, following their debut in 2023. Their re-entry adds to the growing presence of female institutions in this year’s championship. While their name may not well known in NSMQ circles, they showed poise and tactical awareness in the qualifiers.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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