The long wait is over as the brightest minds in Ghana's senior high schools battle it out to display their excellence in science and mathematics.

The National Championship of the 2021 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) will begin today, with the preliminary contests scheduled at the regional and zonal levels.

This year's edition presents another turn of thrilling contests, exciting rivalries and continued legacies.

The Preliminary Stage will take place from October 26, to November 5, at eight different venues across the country, featuring 39 contests between schools from all 16 regions.

In all, 146 Senior High Schools nationwide will converge to slug it out for the trophy and the bragging right as champions of science and mathematics education in Ghana.

The national championship, which usually takes place in June, had to be delayed due to changes in the academic calendar of Senior High Schools, owing to the impact of COVID-19.

The Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School and 26 other seeded schools will later join the competition at the One-eighth Stage when the 54 qualifying schools from the Preliminary Stage have been determined.

According to the event organiser, the One-eighth stage contests would be held simultaneously at two venues to reduce competition days and contact hours in camp.

The One-eighth Stage and the Grand Finale would be held in Kumasi for the first time.

Below are the schedules for the Preliminary Stage of the 2021 National Science & Maths Quiz:

Greater Accra

Northern Zone

Western Zone

Central Region

Brong-Ahafo Zone

Eastern Region

Volta-Oti Zone

Ashanti Region