Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School

Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School (PRESEC) is a secondary boarding school for boys, in Legon, Accra, Ghana. It was founded in 1938, under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church of the Gold Coast.[4] The Basel missionary, Nicholas Timothy Clerk (1862–1961), who served as the first Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church of the Gold Coast from 1918 to 1932, used his tenure to advocate for the establishment of the secondary school.[4][5] The school has ties with its sister schools, Aburi Girls' Senior High School and Krobo Girls Senior High School.

Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School
Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School logo
Location
Legon
05°39′48″N 0°10′28″W

Greater-Accra

Information
TypePublic high school
MottoIn Lumine Tuo Videbimus Lumen
Religious affiliation(s)Presbyterian
Established1938 (1938)
FounderPresbyterian Church of the Gold Coast[1]
Head of schoolDavid Odjija [2][3]
Faculty90[3]
GradesSenior secondary years 1-3
GenderMale
Age14 to 19
Enrollment3,000[3]
Campus typeSuburban
Houses10
Color(s)Blue  
MascotƆdadeɛ (Baobab)
Presecan
NicknameBlue Magicians/Presecans
AffiliationPresbyterian Church of Ghana
AddressP. O. Box LG 98
Legon, Ghana
Websitehttps://preseclegon.edu.gh

The school's crest has a shield with the Presbyterian symbol (the St Andrew Cross-Scottish flag with the Swiss flag embedded and a burning torch in the middle) with the motto of the school, "In Lumine Tuo Videbimus Lumen", meaning "In Thy Light We Shall See Light", scrolled beneath the shield. The school was originally located in Odumase - Krobo in the Eastern Region of Ghana before moving to its current location in Legon, in 1968.[4]

The school anthem is "Happy Are We", written by J. L. Anang and transcribed by Stephen Appiah Danquah.[6]

Houses

  • Kwansa House
  • Clerk House
  • Engmann House
  • Akro House
  • Riis House
  • Labone House
  • Ako-Adjei House
  • Owusu Parry House
  • House 9
  • P. T. A. House

Odumase campus (1938–1968)

Odadee tree

The school was started in Odumase after a Ghanaian educationist with the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, E. A. W. Engmann, lobbied for a boys' school to be started by the church.[7] This came to fruition in 1938 with the first group of 16 boys and four teachers. Rev. Engmann was the first headmaster.

The Odumase campus housed German missionaries, then a primary school and then a government survey school before becoming the Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School.

One of the traditions of the school is the "ɔdadeɛ" (baobab tree) located on the campus. An alumnus of the school is referred to as "Ɔdadeɛ". The baobab tree is a Ghanaian symbol of knowledge, resourcefulness and strength. New students were traditionally initiated at the feet of this tree clad in bedsheets and powdered faces. PRESEC was located here until 1968 when it was moved to its current location at Legon, Mile 9.

Legon campus (1968 to date)

Classroom

In September 1968, the new campus at Legon just north east of the University of Ghana campus at Mile 9, received its first set of students.[8] At the new campus, it continued as a boys' boarding secondary school until the mid-1970s when the sixth form was upgraded to the National Science College. Female students were admitted into the sixth form in small numbers from September 1975. They continued to be part of the student body until June 1996 when the last batch left.[9]

PRESEC dining hall

The Legon campus started with four student boarding houses. Three were named after notable Presbyterian leaders as Kwansa House, Clerk House and Engmann House. The fourth was named Akro House after the people of Krobo Odumase. The next two houses to be built were Riis House and Labone House. With the completion of the National Science College buildings, Ako-Adjei House and Owusu-Parry House were added (the latter named after the first Senior Prefect). Another house, House 9, admitted its first residents in September 2010 as well as a new house, House 10.

Assembly hall

Achievements

2002 Civic Education Club handing-over ceremony. On the right are the class of 2002 executives led by Yaw Boakye-Yiadom,[10] Club President, handing over to the class of 2003 executives. Looking on are former headmaster J. J. Asare, NCCE officials, and local club patron Oromasis Abbey.
Presec wins NIIT.
Presec wins Coke Hits.

PRESEC regularly had one of the best GCE O-level and A-level results prior to the change of the national examination system to BECE and WASSCE.[11]

  • In 1995 the school won the second edition of the Ghana National Science and Maths Quiz competition. PRESEC and six-time Ghana National Science and Maths Quiz[12] winners, Southern Sector Champions, defeated Opoku Ware School, Northern Sector Champion in the Final of Finals.[13]
  • In 1999, the school won four of the seven WAEC (West African Examinations Council) awards for the best individual performances in the final examinations for over 500 secondary schools.[14]
  • In 2002, at the National Constitution Quiz organized by the National Commission for Civic Education, PRESEC Civic Education Club emerged victoriously.[15]
  • In 2003, PRESEC repeated the feat of 1995 by defeating Opoku Ware School in the National Science and Maths Quiz competition. A student went on to win the overall best performance in the WAEC (West African Examinations Council) SSSCE examinations that year.[16]
  • On 1 July 2006 the school won the National Science and Maths Quiz for a third time. The school was given the competition trophy for keeps. PRESEC defeated St. Peter's Secondary School, then defending champions, in the final.[17]
  • On 16 June 2008, NIIT Ghana organised the inter-school ICT Quiz contest at the Great Hall, Kumasi which showcased the talent from five regions of Ghana. 78 schools participated from the regions in regional qualifying rounds to make it to the mega-finals. One winner from every region, contested for the National Title of NIIT ICT Expert 2008 in Kumasi. PRESEC, emerged the champions- NIIT ICT Expert 2008 Winners beating the regional champions: St. James Seminary SHS, Sunyani (Brong-Ahafo), Opoku Ware School, Kumasi (Ashanti Region), St. Augustine's College, Cape Coast (Central Region) and Baidoo Bonsoe SHS, Takoradi (Western Region).[18]
  • On 8 July 2008, PRESEC won the National Science and Math Quiz for a fourth time. The school defeated Opoku Ware School in the final. This was the third time PRESEC had defeated Opoku Ware in the final. On 24 June 2009, not only did PRESEC win the prestigious quiz competition for the fifth time, but they also became the first school ever to successfully defend their title as National Champions. PRESEC defeated Achimota Senior High School in the final.[19]
  • In 2010, two students represented Ghana and won a bronze medal in the International Junior Science Olympiad, out of 35 countries across the world.[20]
  • In 2010, a student was honoured at the WASSCE 2009 Excellence Awards Ceremony, as Best Candidate in the General Science Program, the National Best Candidate and then the Overall Best Candidate in West Africa; and a student was Overall Best in the Business Program.[21]
  • On 13 May 2011, the school won the VRA 50th Anniversary Inter-Schools Debate Competition beating Mfantsipim School in the finals of the competition.[22]
  • September 2011, the school won the Sprite Ball Inter-Schools Basketball Championship, defeating defending champions, Achimota School 10-8 in the finals.[23]
  • On 2 September 2011, the school won the maiden edition of the Coke Hit Single. The competition featured musical talents from 32 senior high schools who vied for the ultimate title of "Coke Hit Single" - Best high school musical talents in Ghana.[18]
  • In March 2013, during the WASSCE 2012 Excellence Awards, a student was judged the Overall Best Candidate in the General Arts Program in the West African Examinations Council's examinations (West African Examinations Council) conducted throughout the West African sub-region; in a year where the Council recorded its highest number 'ever' of candidates meeting its minimum eligibility criterion for the excellence awards, that is 8 grade A1s - (530 candidates out of the total 174,385 candidates who sat for the May/June WASSCE in 2012).[18]
  • 2016 - The Speaker of Parliament of Ghana, Aaron Mike Ocquaye (class of 1962), as well as 15 members of Parliament, are old students of the school
  • On 8th October 2020 the school won the National Maths and Science Quiz contest for the sixth time by beating Adisadel College and Opoku Ware Senior High School in the finals.[24]

Headteachers

Headteachers Tenure in office
The Rev. E. A. W. Engmann1938—1943
The Rev. E. J. Klufio - (Acting Headmaster)1943—1948
C. J. Amaning (Acting Headmaster)1948—1949
The Rev. E. A. W. Engmann1949—1951
The Rev. E. J. Klufio1951—1960
N. O. Anim (Acting Headmaster)Sept 1960—Jan 1961
E. K. Datsa (Acting Headmaster)Jan 1961—July 1961
S. M. Akita (Acting Headmaster)Aug 1961—Sept 1961
The Rev. E. J. Klufio1961—1966
E. K. Caesar (Acting Headmaster)Jan 1966—Augt 1966
E. K. Datsa1966-1973
E. A. Apeadu (Acting Headmaster)Sept 1973—Aug 1974
Odadee The Rev. E. S. Mate-Kodjo ‘481974—1980
E. Y. Attua-Afari1980—1982
E. A. Apeadu1982—1989
Rose Ankrah (Acting Headmistress)1989—1990
A. A. Akuoku1990—1996
J. J. Asare (Acting Headmaster)1996—1997
J. J. Asare1997—2006
Africanus Kwame Anane2006—2014
Lady Queene Aseidu-Akrofi2014-2018[25]
David Odjija2018—

Notable alumni

Politics, government, and public policy

Academia

Arts and entertainment

Sports

Corporate, business, and finance

Law

Music

Journalism

See also

References

  1. "PRESEC | ALUMINI PORTAL". 11 November 2016. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. "Presec @80: Presby Church donates to Presec Legon | Regional News 2018-09-05". Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  3. "Welcome to Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School Website". Archived from the original on 8 June 2004. Retrieved 20 March 2007.
  4. "PRESEC | ALUMINI PORTAL". 11 November 2016. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. "Clerk, Nicholas Timothy, Ghana, Basel Mission". www.dacb.org. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  6. "Happy Are We"
  7. E. A. W. Engmann
  8. "OUR HISTORY | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  9. Amoako, Henry Kwadwo (30 April 2020). "History of Senior High Schools in Ghana: LEGON PRESEC (Part 2)". African Research Consult. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  10. - Boachsoft Founder and Sole Proprietor Archived 2016-02-04 at the Wayback Machine
  11. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  12. "NSMQ". nsmq.com.gh.
  13. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  14. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  15. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  16. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  17. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  18. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  19. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  20. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  21. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  22. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  23. "AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School". Preseclegon.edu.gh. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  24. "NSMQ 2020: Presec ends decade-long drought after outsmarting Adisco and OWASS to win 6th trophy". MyJoyOnline.com. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  25. "Presec launches 80th Anniversary Celebration". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  26. Sagoe, Margaret (28 February 2019). "#Emergers2019: Get To Know Dancegod Lloyd". Kuulpeeps - Ghana Campus News and Lifestyle Site by Students. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  27. https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ghana/benjamin-azamati-kwaku-452615
  28. - Dr. Andrew Owusu Archived 2013-10-21 at the Wayback Machine
  29. Frimpong-Ansah, J. H. (1996). Flexibility and responsiveness in the Ghana economy: post decline atrophy syndome. p. 36. ISBN 9789964969103.
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