GH¢9.5m NSMQ arrears, cleared by Education Ministry to expand the competition to 177 schools

The Ministry of Education has allocated GH¢9.5 million to Primetime Limited, organisers of the National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ), to clear unpaid debts from 2023 to date.

Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the Education Minister, gave the announcement during his address at the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS). As per a notice from his Press Secretary, Hashim Haruna, the Ministry reiterated that it will help in enhancing science and mathematics education through continuous funding support and broader participation.

The statement emphasized that “The Ministry of Education has released an amount of GH¢9.5 million to Primetime Company to clear all the arrears owed the organisers of the National Science and Mathematics Quiz competition.” The Ministry also made stated that the competition is being expanded to include more schools. The statement added that “The number of schools in the competition has now been expanded to 177, up from 124 this year.”

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) also announced that Ghanaian senior high schools will not participate in the balloting or following stages in the 2025 National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) as a result of financial challenges.

According to a letter dated October 3, 2025, and signed by CHASS National Secretary Baro Primus, the organisation notified the quiz organisers, Primetime Limited, that many schools are not able to gather resources and prepare students. CHASS declared that the government funds allocated for these activities have not been disbursed. The letter also  emphasized that “We regret to inform you that schools will not be able to participate in the balloting and subsequently the quiz competition due to non-availability of funds.”

The association said it would change its perspective once the government releases the needed funds and promise to inform organisers accordingly. CHASS also apologised for any inconvenience caused by this decision. The National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) is a yearly national quiz competition for senior high schools in Ghana, focusing on  science and mathematics topics.

From the time it began in 1993, the NSMQ has progressed from hosting 32 schools divided regionally into a national competition with broad participation. The completion is run by Primetime Limited and is one of Ghana’s most celebrated academic programmes, supporting science, technology, engineering and maths education (STEM).

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