Primetime adjusts NSMQ calendar to reduce WASSCE pressure on students

Organisers of Ghana’s National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) have rescheduled the 2026 competition to allow students to focus on their final examinations without added academic pressure.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Primetime Limited announced that regional qualifiers will now take place after the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), breaking from tradition where regional contests are held before the exams.

The decision follows a review of the WASSCE timetable and consultations with the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, according to the statement.

Under the revised plan, regional competitions will be staged immediately after WASSCE, with the national championship following shortly afterwards in a compressed schedule.

Primetime said the adjustment aims to enable candidates to dedicate their full attention to their assessments. Further details on the new format, timelines, and structure will be announced later.

The NSMQ, one of Ghana’s most prestigious academic contests, is produced by Primetime Limited and sponsored by the Ghana Education Service. The change is expected to affect participating schools nationwide, many of which traditionally balance quiz preparations with WASSCE revision.