Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary

On 21 January 1958, St. John's Seminary and College officially opened with 45 students; 14 seminarians and 31-day students in two forms. One Ghanaian lay teacher, Mr. Paul Ohene-Boakye was employed to help the 3 SVD priests who had been appointed by the Bishop to teach and instruct the young boys in their academic work, moral and religious lives. In June 1958, electricity was extended to the school at the cost of 45 pounds. On 20 July 1961, the first Speech and Prize-Giving Day was held. The Guest Speaker was Rev. Maurice Lesage SVD. M.SC., then headmaster of St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School in Accra, and the distribution of prizes was done by Nana Frempong Mposo II, chief of Effiduase. The school's enrollment at this time was 23 Seminarians and 90-day students, totaling 113 students. Pius Kpeglo (now a catholic retired Monsignor), Senior Prefect of the seminary and school, was successful in his G.C.E. examinations, and left on Scholarship on 7 August 1961 to do Philosophy and Theology at the Diocesan Seminary in Regensburg, Germany.

From 1958 to 1968, St. John's College operated as a private Catholic institution financed by the Catholic Diocese of Accra and by the school fees of the few students. Due to the high cost of running the school, Father Fredrischs, the second Headmaster, with the approval of Bishop Bowers, applied for incorporation into the Public Education System of the Ministry of Education of Ghana. On 1 September 1968, St. John Seminary and College was absorbed into the Ghana Education Service of the Ministry of Education (Ghana) as a government-assisted secondary school. The name of the school was changed to Pope John Secondary School and Junior Seminary in order to avoid confusion with other Catholic Schools in Ghana already designated "St. John". The name Pope John was chosen in memory of Pope John XXIII who had just convened the Second Vatican Council, and to keep the identity and purpose of the former St. John's College. The 2007 Ghana education reform under the John Kufuor administration saw the school re-designated Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary.

Pope John XXIII

The mustard seed which the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) Fathers of the Catholic Church sowed under the supervision of Bishop Bowers[5] has hence seen remarkable growth and development.[6] In July 1992 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Koforidua was erected, giving it autonomy from the now Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra.[7] Most. Rev. Dr. Charles G. Palmer-Buckle became the first bishop of the new diocese.[8] The management of Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary thus became the responsibility of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Koforidua within the Ecclesiastical Province of Accra. Today, there is a professional teaching staff of 92 and a non-teaching staff of 85. There are over 2000 boarding students with a little under 100 seminarians. Pope John Secondary School now ranks as one of the best in Ghana, making its mark on all fronts; academics, sport, music, discipline, among others.

More than 8,000 students have passed through the classrooms and examination halls of Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary. Over 100 of its former students who have been ordained as priests for the Catholic Church,[9][10][11] including Archbishop Charles G. Palmer-Buckle. Others have become pastors for other churches and many more can be found in all spheres of life both on the local and international job market, contributing in diverse ways to the development of humanity.

Wikisource has original text related to this article: O Great Pojomma Arise and Shine

After years of existence without any official school anthem, Rev. Fr. Burke SVD (headmaster from 1985 to 1995) began the process for the school acquiring one. This was also partly influenced by the fact that though a young institution, Pojoss had already begun to claim many laurels and perform excellently on the educational scene of Ghana. In 1997, he asked a student, who was also a member of the school choir to compose an anthem for the school. The student was Master Anthony Barnieh. Anthony's composition ("O Great Pojomma Arise and Shine") was submitted and was immediately adopted as the official school anthem. It was first performed by the school's choir in 1998. Today Mr. Barnieh is a teacher of social sciences in Pope John and the music director for the school choir and all musical groups in the school. Additionally, he is the founder and director of one of the best choirs in Ghana.

Early in the first decade of the twenty-first century, the monument of the Sacred Heart was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus under the chaplaincy of Rev. Fr. Justine Mensah and Master Emmanuel Obeng Codjoe (now a Catholic priest). The need for a song to the Sacred Heart arose and this was the ode chosen to pay respect to Jesus Christ. History, however, indicates that it was composed and used as an anthem by the school long before the introduction of "O Great Pojomma Arise and Shine". The two songs of Pope John have become associated with all meetings and gatherings concerning the school or its alumni (notable among which are the opening and closing masses), and have been incorporated into a hymnal for students. Other songs related to students’ life on campus include the famous Father Burke hits: "Life in this world is a great struggle", "I danced in the morning" and "We are going".

Each year on 21 August, a Holy Mass is held in memory of the founding fathers of the school. It is celebrated by the Alumni of the school at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, and by the students at school. Holy Mass precedes the celebrations and in Accra, is said by all alumni-priests of the school.

Alumni of Pope John sing in the school choir at an outdoor mass during a Home-coming event.

This event brings together all alumni of Pojoss at the school for fun games. During this event, old boys deliver motivational talks to the students.[15]

Dr. Omane Boamah presenting an award to a teacher at the 58th Anniversary celebration of the school

A speech and prize-giving day is held to award long-serving teachers and students who have excelled in all areas of their formation; academic work, sports and social life.[16]

This event is organized by the student administrative unit to bring together all sister schools and schools within the locality for educational symposiums, entertainment jams and socialization. Occasionally, schools from the Greater Accra Region, Ashanti Region and Volta Region are invited. The event is given a unique name by each group of administrators every year.

Also known in student circles as Tom Aqua, it is organized by the chaplaincy of the school. It brings together all Catholic students within the Eastern Region to honor their patron saint, St. Thomas Aquinas and discuss matters affecting them.[17] Under the 2001/2002 executives of the Koforidua Diocese Catholic Students Union (KODCASU) the St. Thomas Aquinas Day was institutionalized. The first was organized on 2 February 2002 at the St. George's Cathedral, Koforidua. The main celebrant of the Holy Mass was Most Rev Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, then Bishop of Koforidua. Notable among the students were Mr. Emmanuel Obeng Codjoe (now Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obeng Codjoe) who was the Students' Chaplain of Pope John at the time.

This event is organized by the Sports Department to award students who distinguish themselves in field and track events. It also serves as an avenue for sport boys to be picked in representing the school at National Athletic Competitions.

General elections are organized every year to select new prefects and student administrators for the SRC.

There are currently seven houses available for boarding students who require a stay throughout a term:

• Pope John Seminary (Pope john House)
• Bishop Bowers House
• Nana Frempong Mposo House
• Alphonse Elsbernd House
• Paul Boakye House
• Fr. Amos Fredric's House
• Most Rev. Leon Badikebele Kalenga House.

Panoramic view of the POJOSS campus

• VALCO Soccer Tournament (1999) (Winner)[21]
• National Independence Debate Championship (2000) (Winner)
• Milo Schools Soccer Championship (2001) (Winner)
• National Science and Maths Quiz (2001) (Winner)[22]
• VALCO Soccer Tournament (2002) (Winner)[23]
• Microsoft Internet Safety and Security Focus On Ghana (MISSFoG) National Quiz Contest (2009) (Winner)
• Junior Achievement Barclays Bank Chairman Awards (2009) (Placed Second)
• Project Citizen National Showcase (2011) (Placed 3rd)[24]
• Ghana Youth Forum Debate (2012) (Winner)[25]
• National Independence Debate Championship (2013) (Winner)[26]
• National Independence Debate Championship (2015) (Winner)
• National Independence Debate Championship (2017) (runners up)(2nd)

• Mr Emmanuel Agyepong (Received 3rd Prize for National Best Teacher Award 2001)[27]
• Most Reverend Charles G. Palmer-Buckle[28] (former chaplain and teacher)
• Mr. Yaw Gyebi (Received 2nd Prize National Best Teacher Award)
• Mr. Isaac Amanor(Geography department)

• Mr. Patrick Larbi Lartey (former Senior House Master and Teacher)
• Mr Eric Bempoe (Senior House Master)

A cartoon published in the 2012 edition of the POJOMAG illustrating the relationship between Pojoss and Roses

POJOROSA is the acronym representing the alliance between Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary and St. Roses Senior High School. This alliance has been made manifest in the marriages of alumni of the two schools. Teachers from St. Roses have taught in Pojoss and vice versa. Alumni from Pojoss have also returned the gesture and taught in St. Roses. Annual programmes organized by the two schools are often well attended by students of the schools as a gesture of the friendliness they bear toward each other. Apart from all these, Pope John and Saint Roses share the same heritage in their founding fathers, the SVD missionaries.

But now it is POJOKRO. It is the collaboration with Pojoss students and Krobo girls. The bond has been a strong bond for the past years. Pope John Senior High School and minor seminary teachers teach in Krobo senior high school and vice versa.

POJOSS' relationship with Krobo Girls' Senior High School has also resulted in the birth of POJOKRO: Though many see this as an impossible alliance owing to the fact that Krobo Girls' is a Presbyterian school, the students have often tried to breach that divide by inviting students of Krobo Girls' to some of their annual programmes.

The church maintains a cordial relationship with Pojoss. Many of the school's alumni have become Roman Catholic priests for the dioceses all over Ghana. The school's boys' choir has performed at many Catholic events including the burial mass of their founder, Joseph Bowers. Catholic programmes are often held in Pope John, notable among which is the Sacred Heart Congress.

Pojoss remains a polling station where elections in Ghana are concerned. Members of the school staff are often employed as polling officials in every general election of the country.

The academic campus of Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary is used weekly as a weekend campus for Koforidua-resident distant learners offering courses at the university. Some of the school's teaching staff also give tuition at these weekend lectures.

The establishment of Pope John was a vision initiated by the Roman Catholic church. It is therefore known as a Catholic school. The seminary continues to receive funding from the church to support the formation of seminarians.

There is an informal relationship with KNUST. Most of the university's senior lecturers including its immediate past vice chancellor are alumni of Pope John. Additionally, a considerable number of alumni are enrolled in KNUST annually. In 2012 under the Community Impact Program, KNUST donated books to the school's library and supervised the renovation of its science lab.

There exists a friendly rivalry between Pope John Senior High and St. Peter's Boys Senior Secondary School, Nkwatia. Inter-school programmes are therefore held termly to promote unity and cordiality among students of the two institutions.

• Archbishop Charles G. Palmer- Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast

• Edward Omane Boamah, Former Minister of Communications
• Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, MP for Lower Manya Krobo and Former Deputy Minister of Defence
• Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information and MP for Ofoasi/Ayirebi
• Franklin Cudjoe, Founder and President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education

• Joseph Boateng Danquah, Former Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces and Member of Council of State
• Major General William Omane Agyekum, Commandant of Military Academy and Training Schools
• Brigadier General Kweku Asamoah Yeboah, Director General of International Peace Support Operations, Ghana Armed Forces

• William Otoo Ellis, former Vice Chancellor of KNUST[30]

• Maxwell Opoku-Afari, Economist and first Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana.

• D-Black, Hip-hop star and Entrepreneur
• Ibrahim Mahama (artist), Author and Artist of monumental installations