For years, Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (PRESEC-Legon) had ruled the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) stage like kings without challengers.
But on Thursday, October 30, 2025, the crown slipped and it was GSTS, the ‘Land of Giants’, who seized the moment.
Prior to the start of the quarter finals contest, Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS), represented by Praisegod Solomon and Hadir Marc Owusu had trumpeted their mantra, “we are not here to participate, we are here to win”.
However, in the first four rounds of the contest, their winning chances were gloomy, as PRESEC dominated with a solid 8-point margin, hoping to prove a point by the end of the final bell.
If there was any miracle to come, GSTS hoped that would be the final round, the determinant, Riddles. As though the heavens paid attention to them, they correctly answered two riddles, squeezing them closer to PRESEC’s accumulated points of 38.
Now with hearts pounding, chests out, attentive ears and racking brains, all contestants listened as the quiz mistress, Prof. Elsie Effah Kauffman read out the final riddle.
Without waiting to hear the end of the question, GSTS took a leap of faith, pressed the buzzer and confidently blurted out a response that was met with an ear-soothing response, “you’re right”.
When the final riddle was answered and the buzzer went silent, the chants erupted, not just in the contest hall, but across their classrooms in Takoradi and among thousands of supporters watching via Joy News or Joy Prime channels.
GSTS had emerged victorious against Presec by just 1 point. The scoreboard projected: GSTS – 39points, PRESEC, Legon – 38points and Our Lady of Grace (OLAG) – 28points. That’s what made this win poetic. The ‘underdogs’ conquered the 8-time champions by one single point.
GSTS’s win against PRESEC has pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the 2025 National Science and Maths Quiz.
For the first time in over five years, PRESEC, the school that has dominated the NSMQ stage with an unbroken run of semi-final and final appearances, has been sent packing before the semis.
By extension, GSTS has for the first time ever advanced to the NSMQ semi finals, just two contests away from lifting the trophy.
GSTS, the ‘Land of the Giants’ has always been a school with a proud academic and technical heritage. Founded in 1909, it stands as one of Ghana’s oldest institutions of science and innovation.
In the NSMQ era, they have made their mark as arguably the best school from the west, having conquered the Western Regional Qualifiers earlier this year.
They are also champions of the 2012 contest and two-time runner-ups.
If they go all the way in the 2025 nationals, GSTS will become two-time champions, completing a story that began decades ago and was reignited by focus and wit.
But even if their run ends tomorrow, their message remains timeless that giants may sleep, but they never die. And in 2025, the Land of Giants roared back to life.