Education · Godfred Anku Kaali

Bright SHS founder hails NSMQ success, urges private schools to believe in their students

The President and Founder of Bright Senior High School at Kukurantumi in the Abuakwa North Municipality of the Eastern Region, Bright Nyarko Amponsah, has described the school’s historic performance in the 2026 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) as a victory for private schools across Ghana.

Bright SHS made history as the first private school to reach the semi-final stage of the competition after defeating seeded Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS) and Presbyterian Senior High Technical School, Aburi, at the one-eighth stage, before overcoming Amaniampong SHS and Chemu SHTS in the quarter-finals.

Speaking at a ceremony to welcome the NSMQ team after its historic campaign, Mr. Amponsah said the feat should encourage other private schools to have confidence in their students and invest in their academic development.

“Believe me, next year, private schools are going to compete strongly, and I won’t be surprised if a private school emerges as the winner. I want our performance to encourage my colleagues, the private school principals, that our students are capable of competing with any school out there,” he said.

He urged the general public to reject the perception that students in private senior high schools are academically inferior to their counterparts in public schools, saying private-school students have over the years demonstrated that they can excel at the highest level.

“Our students are good. They are not dumb. Believe me, for the past two years the best WASSCE student in the whole of Ghana has come from a private school. So don’t let anyone lie to you that private school students are not as good as those in the public schools” Mr. Amponsah added.

Meanwhile, a member of the Bright SHS NSMQ team who served as a researcher for the contestants, Mastura Osuman Bawah, said the team’s preparation involved extensive research and training beyond the regular SHS curriculum.

She explained that her role included helping the contestants with formulas, research and advanced concepts in Biology and Mathematics to improve their speed and accuracy.

“Preparing for the NSMQ requires extensive research, training and commitment. Students have to go to advanced levels, study topics that we have not even heard of, conduct research, endure sleepless nights, read subjects above our level, engage in intense calculations and everything,” she said.

Miss Bawah urged senior high schools across the country to provide their NSMQ contestants with the necessary resources, including advanced textbooks and AI tools, to enhance their preparation.

Bright SHS’s historic run ended at the semi-final stage, but the school’s achievement has already marked a significant milestone in the history of the competition. 

The school has also secured a seeded position for next year’s competition and established itself as a major contender in science and mathematics among Ghanaian senior high schools.