The 2026 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) is set to begin its preliminary stage, with 147 schools preparing to battle for qualification to the next round of the prestigious academic competition.

The national championship begins on Thursday, August 20, 2026, with the preliminary stage featuring 49 contests involving three schools in each contest.

The five-day preliminary stage will run from Thursday, August 20 to Monday, August 24, as participating schools compete for places in the One-Eighth Stage.

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With 49 contests scheduled, there will be little room for error as schools seek to secure their places in the next round of the competition.

The preliminary stage marks the beginning of the journey towards the NSMQ national title, with participating schools expected to test their knowledge and speed across science and mathematics-related questions.

For the contestants, however, the competition represents more than simply answering questions correctly. It is an opportunity to defend their schools' reputations, build on past performances, and create a place for themselves in the history of Ghana's academic competition.

A total of 174 schools are expected to compete at the national championship stage this year.

However, 27 schools have already secured automatic qualification to the One-Eighth Stage, leaving 147 schools to battle it out during the preliminary contests for the remaining qualification slots.

The preliminary stage will therefore determine which schools join the seeded teams in the next phase of the competition as the race for the 2026 NSMQ championship gathers momentum.

The 49 preliminary contests are: