PRESEC wins NSMQ for record ninth time with dominant final performance

Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC-Legon) has won the 2026 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ), claiming a record-extending ninth title after a commanding 40-point finish at the grand finale held at the UG Premier Domes on Thursday night.

Accra Academy, making its historic first-ever appearance in the grand finale, placed second with 33 points, while St Augustine’s College finished third on 27 points .

From Nine Points to ADO9

The victory was fittingly symbolic for PRESEC. The school finished the opening round on just 9 points, trailing both St Augustine’s and Accra Academy, who were tied on 11 points each .

PRESEC began their recovery in Round Two, adding eight points to draw level with St Augustine’s at 17, while Accra Academy moved to 14. The turning point came in Round Three — the Problem of the Day — where PRESEC picked up four points to take the lead for the first time at 21, as both rivals failed to score .

Accra Academy mounted a strong challenge in Round Four, surging to 30 points, but PRESEC held firm at 34. In the final round, PRESEC added six more points to seal the win, sparking wild celebrations among students and old boys .

The school’s supporters celebrated under the banner “ADO9” — a creative blend of “Adonai,” a Hebrew word for God, and the number nine, marking their ninth championship .

A Record of Dominance

Thursday’s finale marked PRESEC’s 13th appearance in the grand finale, extending their record as the most successful school in the competition’s history . Their previous titles came in 1995, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2022, and 2023 .

PRESEC remains the top-ranked senior high school in Ghana, having retained the number one position for the third consecutive year in the 2025 rankings with 715 points .

For Accra Academy, the near miss represented their closest attempt at the title. The school had spent years trapped at the quarter-final stage, repeatedly falling short of a semi-final berth from 2019 onwards before finally breaking the cycle in 2026 .

St Augustine’s College, meanwhile, remains a two-time champion, having won in 2007 and 2019 .

About the Competition

The NSMQ, organised by Primetime Limited under the sponsorship of the Ghana Education Service, GOIL, Prudential Life Insurance, and other partners, is designed to encourage the study of Science and Mathematics among Ghanaian secondary school students . Since its inaugural edition in 1994, the competition has grown into one of the country’s most-watched academic contests .