Primetime has withdrawn Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School from NSMQ 2026 Contest 9 after contestants walked off the stage following a dispute over a Biology question.
Published: 28 August 2026
Author: Ferdinand Ellis
Article Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Article Title | Primetime Withdraws Anlo SHS and Kumasi High from NSMQ Contest 9 |
| Event | 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz |
| Contest | One-Eighth Stage, Contest 9 |
| Schools | St. Augustine’s College, Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School |
| Decision | Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School withdrawn |
| Winner | St. Augustine’s College |
| Decision Issued By | Primetime Limited |
| Reason | Walk-off and breach of competition rules |
| Publication Date | 28 August 2026 |
Fact Check & Editorial Review
Status: Confirmed from Primetime Limited’s official statement.
Primetime Limited has officially explained its decision following the disruption of the One-Eighth Stage Contest 9 involving St. Augustine’s College, Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School.
According to Primetime, the dispute began after St. Augustine’s College protested the adjudication of a Biology question in Round One. The matter was referred to a consultant, who advised that St. Augustine’s should receive partial marks.
The situation later escalated during the contest, with officials from Anlo SHS challenging the decision. After the consultant explained the basis of the ruling through a speakerphone conversation, the contest continued.
The decisive incident occurred in Round Five when teachers from Anlo SHS instructed their contestants to leave the stage. Kumasi High School contestants subsequently also left the stage after an instruction from a teacher.
Primetime has now ruled that the conduct breached the competition’s rules and has withdrawn both schools from Contest 9.
St. Augustine’s College, which remained on stage and was prepared to continue, has consequently been declared the winner.
Editorial note: This report distinguishes between the events described by Primetime Limited and independent conclusions. Claims about the conduct of individual teachers are attributed to Primetime’s official account.
Key Takeaways
- Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School have been withdrawn from Contest 9 of the 2026 NSMQ One-Eighth Stage.
- The decision followed a walk-off by contestants after instructions from teachers during the ongoing contest.
- The controversy began with a Biology question protest raised by St. Augustine’s College.
- Primetime said a consultant reviewed the issue and recommended partial marks for St. Augustine’s College.
- The consultant’s explanation was communicated to the contest officials through a speakerphone.
- The contest resumed and reached Round Five before the walk-off occurred.
- Primetime said continuing the contest would compromise fairness because other venues using the same questions had already completed their contests.
- St. Augustine’s College has been declared the winner and progresses to the next stage.
Introduction
The 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz has recorded a dramatic development after Primetime Limited withdrew Anlo Senior High School and Kumasi High School from Contest 9 of the One-Eighth Stage.
The decision followed an incident in which contestants from both schools left the stage during the contest after being instructed to do so by teachers, according to an official statement issued by Primetime Limited.
The ruling means that St. Augustine’s College, which remained on stage and was ready to continue competing, has been declared the winner of the contest and will advance to the next stage.
The incident has attracted considerable attention because it involved a dispute over the adjudication of a Biology question before eventually developing into a walk-off during the competition.
What Happened During the Contest?
The controversy began during Round One, when St. Augustine’s College raised a protest concerning the adjudication of a Biology question.
Primetime said the matter was referred to the relevant consultant for review. Following the review, the consultant advised that St. Augustine’s College should be awarded partial marks because the question in question was the school’s own question in Round One.
The decision was subsequently communicated by the Quiz Mistress at the end of Round Three.
Officials of Anlo SHS challenged the decision, resulting in agitation and disruption within the auditorium.
To clarify the ruling, the consultant was contacted and placed on speakerphone. The consultant explained the basis for the decision, after which the contest resumed and proceeded through Round Four.
➡ Related: [NSMQ 2026 One-Eighth Stage: Full Contest Results and Schools Through to the Next Round]
➡ Related: [NSMQ 2026: Complete Competition Format, Rules and Stages Explained]
The Walk-Off in Round Five
The situation changed during Round Five.
According to Primetime, while the first riddle of the round was in progress, the coordinator of Anlo SHS and another teacher from the school began shouting and instructed their contestants to leave the stage.
The Production Team reportedly made repeated appeals for the contestants to remain on stage and allow the contest to continue.
The contestants nevertheless left the stage.
Primetime said that a teacher from Kumasi High School subsequently instructed that school’s contestants to leave the stage as well. The Kumasi High contestants then followed the instruction and left the stage.
The walk-off brought the contest to an abrupt halt.
➡ Related: [NSMQ 2026 Contestants and Schools: Complete Guide]
➡ Related: [National Science & Maths Quiz 2026: Latest News and Results]
Why Were Anlo SHS and Kumasi High Withdrawn?
Primetime’s decision is based principally on its interpretation of the competition rules.
The organisers said the rules require participating schools to compete fairly and expressly prohibit direct communication between school officials and contestants or substitutes during a contest.
According to Primetime, teachers from both Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School directly communicated with their contestants and instructed them to leave the stage while the contest was still in progress.
The organisers therefore classified the conduct as a breach of the rules governing the fair and orderly conduct of the competition.
Primetime further explained that the contestants acted on the instructions of their teachers despite repeated efforts by the Production Team to persuade them to remain on stage.
➡ Related: [NSMQ Rules: What Teachers, Coordinators and Contestants Must Know]
➡ Related: [NSMQ 2026: How Protests and Appeals Are Handled]
Why Could the Contest Not Simply Continue?
One of the most important explanations provided by Primetime concerns the use of common questions across different contest venues.
The organisers said that while the dispute was being resolved, contests at the other venues using the same set of questions had already ended.
This created a problem for the continuation of Contest 9.
Primetime said restarting or continuing the contest after the other venues had completed their contests could compromise the integrity and fairness of the competition.
This consideration ultimately influenced the decision to bring Contest 9 to an end rather than resume it after the disruption.
➡ Related: [NSMQ 2026 One-Eighth Stage: How the Competition Works]
➡ Related: [NSMQ 2026: Full Schedule, Results and Next Stage]
Why Was St. Augustine’s College Declared Winner?
St. Augustine’s College was the only school among the three that remained on stage and was prepared to continue the contest.
Primetime therefore declared St. Augustine’s College the winner after determining that the actions of Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School amounted to breaches of the competition rules.
The decision means that AUGUSCO progresses to the next stage of the 2026 NSMQ.
The outcome is particularly significant because the contest had already passed through several rounds before the walk-off occurred.
What Primetime’s Decision Means for Anlo SHS and Kumasi High
The immediate consequence is that both Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School are out of Contest 9.
Primetime described the withdrawal as a consequence of breaches of the rules governing fair and orderly participation.
The organisers also used the occasion to remind all participating schools, teachers, coordinators and contestants that they are expected to comply with the procedures governing the competition.
The decision places renewed attention on the role of school officials during live NSMQ contests, particularly where disagreements arise over marking, adjudication or questions.
The Larger Issue of Protests During NSMQ
The incident also highlights the importance of the protest and adjudication mechanisms within the NSMQ.
Academic competitions can produce disagreements over answers, question interpretation and marking. Such disagreements require established procedures that allow concerns to be raised without disrupting the contest.
In this case, Primetime says the Biology question was referred to a consultant for review. The consultant’s decision was then explained to the parties through a speakerphone.
The subsequent walk-off, however, transformed an adjudication dispute into a competition-rule issue.
For schools participating in high-stakes academic competitions, the episode demonstrates the importance of understanding the rules governing protests and the conduct expected of teachers and contestants.
AUGUSCO Moves On
With the official decision now announced, St. Augustine’s College becomes the school advancing from Contest 9.
The school remained on stage despite the disruption and was ready to continue competing, according to Primetime.
Its declaration as winner brings an unusual conclusion to the contest, which began with three schools but ended with only one remaining eligible to progress.
The attention now turns to AUGUSCO’s next appearance in the 2026 NSMQ.
Primetime’s Official Decision
Primetime Limited concluded that:
- Teachers from Anlo SHS and Kumasi High directly communicated with their contestants and instructed them to leave the stage.
- The instructions resulted in the contestants walking off during an ongoing contest.
- The walk-off disrupted Contest 9 and prevented it from continuing without potentially compromising competition integrity.
- The conduct constituted a breach of the rules governing the competition.
- Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School were withdrawn from Contest 9.
- St. Augustine’s College was declared the winner and progresses to the next stage.
Editorial Analysis
The decision raises an important question about how academic competitions should balance the right of schools to challenge adjudication decisions with the need to maintain an orderly contest.
A protest mechanism is essential in any serious academic competition. Schools must be able to question decisions where they believe a question has been wrongly adjudicated. At the same time, once an established adjudication process has been invoked, participating teams are expected to comply with the rules while the matter is being resolved.
The most consequential issue in this case was therefore not simply the original Biology question. It was the decision by contestants to leave the stage during an ongoing contest after instructions from school officials.
Primetime’s explanation also shows why the organisers considered continuation impractical. Since the same questions were being used at other venues and those contests had already concluded, resuming Contest 9 could have created an unequal competitive environment.
The incident therefore provides an important lesson for schools participating in the NSMQ. Protests should be pursued through the prescribed mechanisms, while contestants remain on stage unless the organisers direct otherwise.
As Ferdinand Ellis (2026) observes in discussions of educational assessment and professional practice, the credibility of competitive assessment depends not only on the quality of questions but also on transparent procedures, consistent rules and responsible conduct by all participants.
What Happens Next?
St. Augustine’s College will proceed to the next stage of the 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz following its declaration as winner of Contest 9.
Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School, meanwhile, have been withdrawn from the contest under Primetime’s ruling.
The development is likely to remain one of the most discussed moments of the 2026 NSMQ as the competition progresses.
EducateGhana.com will continue to track the results, qualified schools and major developments in the 2026 National Science & Maths Quiz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School withdrawn from NSMQ 2026?
Primetime said both schools breached competition rules after their contestants left the stage following instructions from teachers during the ongoing contest.
Why did the controversy begin?
The controversy began after St. Augustine’s College protested the adjudication of a Biology question during Round One.
Who reviewed the Biology question?
Primetime said the matter was referred to the relevant consultant, who recommended that St. Augustine’s College receive partial marks.
Why was St. Augustine’s College declared winner?
AUGUSCO remained on stage and was ready to continue competing. Primetime subsequently declared the school winner after withdrawing the other two schools.
Will Anlo SHS and Kumasi High continue in Contest 9?
No. Primetime has officially withdrawn both schools from Contest 9.
Which school advances?
St. Augustine’s College advances to the next stage of the 2026 NSMQ.
Conclusion
The dramatic conclusion to Contest 9 of the 2026 NSMQ has placed competition rules, protest procedures and the conduct of school officials under the spotlight.
Primetime Limited has made its position clear. It considers the instructions given by teachers for contestants to leave the stage a breach of the competition rules and has consequently withdrawn Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School.
For St. Augustine’s College, the ruling delivers progression to the next stage.
The episode will likely serve as a significant reference point in discussions about discipline, protest procedures and the integrity of competitive academic assessment in Ghana.
St. Augustine’s College now moves forward in the 2026 NSMQ.
Sources
Primetime Limited. (2026, August 28). Primetime’s decision on walk-off by Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School contestants during the One-Eighth Stage Contest 9 involving St. Augustine’s College, Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School.
Ferdinand Ellis. (2026). Analysis of assessment integrity, professional conduct and competitive academic assessment in Ghana. EducateGhana.com.
