St. John's School, Sekondi

St. John's School is an all-boys' second-cycle Roman Catholic school located at Sekondi in the Western Region of Ghana. It is one of the best senior high schools in Ghana and the best in the region.[1] The present curriculum falls within the Senior High School system in Ghana, with overall oversight by the Ghana Education Service. Old Boys of St. John’s School are affectionately called Old Saints. The Old Saints Fraternity includes some of the most notable and prominent men in the country. Old boys include award-winning Ghanaian journalist, communications expert and social entrepreneur David Ampofo, Dr Frank Abu former minister of Mines and Energy, former Chief Executive of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Dr.Felix Anyah, M.K Onnomah, Ghanaian Politician and the late Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, Shasha Marley and a whole group of prominent and notable alumni.

St. John's School
Main school gate
Address
P. O. Box 492

Sekondi, Western Region

Ghana
Coordinates4°55′58″N 1°43′42″W
Information
School typePublic high school
MottoViam Parantes
(Preparing the way)
Religious affiliation(s)Christianity
DenominationRoman Catholic
Patron saint(s)St. John the Evangelist
Established29 January 1952 (1952-01-29)
FounderMost Rev. William Thomas Porter, S.M.A.
StatusActive
Sister schoolArchbishop Porter Girls Secondary School
School districtSekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly
OversightMinistry of Education
GenderBoys
Age14 to 18
Classes offeredBusiness, general arts, general science, visual arts
LanguageEnglish
Campus typeSuburban
Houses11
Colour(s)Maroon, Yellow and Green   
Song"St John beloved apostle"
MascotKoliko (Saint with a halo)
NicknameThe Saints
RivalG.S.T.S
AlumniOld Saints
Websitestjohnsschool.edu.gh

History
St John's School

It was founded on 29 January 1952 by Archbishop William Thomas Porter of the Society of African Missions.[2] At the time of the founding, Porter was then vicar apostolic and later Archbishop of Cape Coast.

At its founding, the school had three teachers and forty-seven students.

Background

The origin of St. John's School can be traced to an English Churchman who came to the Gold Coast in 1933 from Nigeria where he had been the General Manager of Catholic Schools. He discovered to his dismay in the Gold Coast that the Catholic Church which had been a fountain of education for centuries elsewhere had not catered for Second Cycle Institutions in the country. He therefore, worked tirelessly to found St. Augustine's College in Cape Coast in 1936. This man of vision and courage was the late Archbishop W. T. Porter of Cape Coast.

The Second World War fizzled out all arrangements for overseas financial aid and staffing for other schools and colleges. However, the Government's Accelerated Education policy of 1951 to cater for the educational needs of Middle School Form 4 leavers after their Primary School Education spurred on the Church to establish a number of Catholic Secondary Schools in the country in 1952. Bishop Herman College in Kpando, Volta Region, Opoku Ware School in Kumasi, Ashanti Region and St. John’s School in Sekondi-Takoradi, Western Region, were all established by the Church to meet the needs of the numerous Middle School leavers whose future looked quite bleak.

The Government took on the church's challenge and also established the following schools: Keta Secondary School in the Volta Region, Dormaa Secondary School in the then Ashanti Region and Fijai Secondary School, Sekondi-Takoradi in the Western Region.[3]

Early Period

St. John's was founded as a private Secondary School by the Roman Catholic Church on 29 January 1952. It was the first Secondary School to be established in the Western Region and was named after Rev. John Beenker of the SMA Society who shortly after assuming the post became seriously ill and had to return to Holland where he died, and so Rev. Father Francis Kwamena Buah who was pursuing his postgraduate studies in Cork University Ireland was recalled to head the school. Before his arrival, however, Rev. Father Donelley, SMA, temporarily held the fort.

The school started with three masters, Rev. Father F. K. Buah, Rev. Father Donelley, Mr. John Quansah and 47 students at St. Paul's Catholic Primary/Middle School, Anaafo Sekondi, in two temporary classrooms.[4]

Students

The students are known as "The Saints" and the past students are known as "Old Saints".[5][6]

Old Saint Kwesi Kwansa Kennedy,2018 won the Henry Godson-Afful award of the best performing WASSCE student and was also adjudged the 3rd Best in West Africa 2018 with 8A’s[7][8][9]


Headmasters
Name Tenure of office
Mr. Anthony J. Mensah since 2015
Rev. Bro. Sylvester Quaye 2010–15
Rev. Bro. Joseph K. B. Annan, C.S.C. 2001–10
Mrs. Rebecca Effiba Dadzie 2001 (March–July) Acting
K. Akwasi Bona 1997–2001
Mr. R. A. Sackey 1991–96
Mr. J. S. Honny 1979–90
Mr. B. A. K. Griffin 1974–78
Bro. Raymond Papenfuss, C.S.C. 1973–74
Bro. Frederick McGlynn, C.S.C. 1967–73
Bro. Jerome Chandler 1963–67
Bro. Rex. Hennel, C.S.C. 1959–63
Rev. Fr. F. K. Buah 1952–58

Notable Alumni

Sports

Politics

Frank Abu ,, former western regional minister in Rawlings gov

Academics
  • Prof. Ebow Bondzie Simpson - Professor of Law, Barrister, Solicitor and Rector of GIMPA
  • Prof. Wisdom Tettey - Vice President and Principal of University of Toronto, Scarborough
  • Prof. Kwame Awuah Offei - Professor of Mining Engineering and a member of the 38-member advisory board on mineral and Energy Royalty Policy committee by the United States Secretary of Interior
  • Prof. James Hawkins Ephraim - Physical inorganic Chemist and Former Vice Chancellor of Catholic University College of Ghana

Science, Tech and Medicine

Military

Journalism
  • David Ampofo - Ghanaian Journalist
  • Fiifi Adinkra - Ghanaian blogger and Journalist
  • Ato Kwamena Dadzie - Ghanaian writer and Journalist of Joy FM
  • Philip Osei Bonsu - Broadcast Journalist, Corporate communications executive and Entrepreneur

Kojo Frimpong of joy fm npp candidate mp for wench

Creative Arts
  • Joe Beecham- Gospel musician
  • Aka Blay - Guitarist and Musical artist
  • Shasha Marley - Reggae Musician
  • Papa Nii (Osoephagus) - Veteran Ghanaian Actor
  • Albert Mensah - Bestselling Author and the only West African listed on the World’s Top 60 Motivational speakers
  • Keche

See also

References
  1. Allotey, Godwin Akweiteh (27 February 2017). "St. John's SHS holds 65th speech and prize giving day [Photos]". Ghana News. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  2. Staff (28 August 2012). "St John's School Marks 60th Anniversary". Daily Graphic. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  3. "St. John's School Diary - Sekondi - About | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  4. "St. John's School Diary - Sekondi - About | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  5. "2004 batch of Saint John's School mourn fallen Old Saint". Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  6. "Things you didn't know about Captain Maxwell Mahama". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  7. https://theworldnews.net/gh-news/old-saint-wins-henry-godson-afful-best-wassce-student-award
  8. https://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2019/April-3rd/old-saint-wins-henry-godson-afful-best-wassce-student-award.php
  9. https://mobile.twitter.com/StJohnsSekondi/status/1103953050731986945
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