West Africa Senior High School has sent a loud warning to the competition, powering past Oda SHS and Mankessim SHTS to book a place in the One-Eighth Stage of the 2026 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ).

With the school celebrating its 80th anniversary, the West Africa SHS team has one bold wish — let history repeat itself!

The school emerged victorious after a fiercely contested battle at the NSMQ 2026 Preliminary Stage, finishing on 55 points, with Oda SHS trailing on 41 points and Mankessim SHTS on 37 points.

From the opening round, West Africa SHS wasted little time announcing its intentions.

While all three schools fought for every available point, West Africa SHS proved particularly sharp on the bonus questions, using them to build an early advantage and put pressure on its rivals.

Then came the Speed Race, and Mankessim SHTS came charging.

The school repeatedly hit the bell, desperately trying to wrestle control of the round. But West Africa SHS refused to surrender its grip, answering crucial questions and keeping its lead intact.

The Problem of the Day offered Mankessim SHTS a brief opportunity to claw back some ground, with the school scoring seven points, while West Africa SHS and Oda SHS managed six points each.

But West Africa SHS was already in command. By the end of Round Three, the leaders had stretched their tally to 42 points, leaving Mankessim SHTS on 27 points and Oda SHS on 22.

The pressure intensified in the True or False round, but West Africa SHS remained composed, pushing its score to 55 points. Oda SHS fought back to 35 points, while Mankessim SHTS moved to 31 points.

The final Riddle round brought the contest to a tense finish, but there was no stopping West Africa SHS.

The school held its nerve, crossed the finish line first and secured its much-coveted One-Eighth Stage ticket. But for West Africa SHS, this victory carries an even bigger meaning.

As the school celebrates 80 years, its NSMQ journey is being driven by a nostalgic ambition — to repeat the history of 2018.

The team is now dreaming of another memorable run in the competition, hoping this anniversary year can once again produce an NSMQ chapter worth celebrating.

For Oda SHS and Mankessim SHTS, the journey ends at the preliminaries. For West Africa SHS, however, the real battle has only just begun.

The 2026 National Science and Maths Quiz is produced by Primetime Limited and sponsored by the Ghana Education Service, with support from Goil PLC, Prudential Life Insurance, Pepsodent, Trustur AI, Jupay Money Transfer, Lumevax, GTP, SpinCITI Laundromat, Didi Jollof, Bel Beverages, Accra College of Medicine, Coronation Insurance and Academic City University.

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