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Mfantsipim is an all-boys boarding secondary school in Cape Coast, Ghana,[1][2] established by the Methodist Church in 1876 to foster intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth on the then Gold Coast. Its founding name was Wesleyan High School and the first headmaster was James Picot, a French scholar, who was only 18 years old on his appointment.
| Mfantsipim School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Aboom Wells Road , 101 Ghana | |
| Coordinates | 5°07′08″N 1°15′04″W / 5.119°N 1.251°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public secondary/high school mission |
| Motto | Dwen Hwɛ Kan (Think and Look Ahead) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Christian |
| Denomination | Methodist |
| Established | 3 April 1876 |
| Sister school | Wesley Girls High School |
| School district | Cape Coast |
| Headmaster | Rev. Ebenezer K. Aidoo |
| Chaplain | Rev. Samuel |
| Staff | 147 teachers |
| Gender | Boys |
| Age | 16 to 20 |
| Enrollment | 2500+ |
| Average class size | 55 |
| Language | English |
| Houses | 8 |
| Colour(s) | Crimson and black |
| Song | "For all the Saints" (MHB 832) |
| Nickname | Kwabotwe |
| Rivals | |
| Yearbook | Botaepa |
| Affiliation | Methodist Church, Ghana |
| Alumni | Mfantsipim Old Boys Association (MOBA) |
| School anthem | "Dwen Hwɛ Kan" |
Mfantsipim is nicknamed "The School" because it gave birth to other prominent schools such as Prempeh College.[3]
History
editThe idea of establishing a collegiate school to raise educational standards in the Gold Coast was first mooted in 1865 but was not realized until 1876 when the Wesleyan High School was established in Cape Coast with donations from local businessmen and the support of the Methodist Missionary Society in London. The school was originally intended to be situated in Accra, owing to a decision by the British Government to move the capital of the Gold Coast from Cape Coast to Accra by 1870. However, due to local agitation and the urgency to implement the idea, it was finally established in Cape Coast, although there were initial plans to later move it to Accra, a relocation that never happened.
On 3 April 1876, the school was established as Wesleyan High School.
Foundation and early development
editMfantsipim School was established in 1876 as Wesleyan High School in Cape Coast, primarily to train teachers with an initial enrollment of 17 pupils. The idea of establishing a collegiate school in the Gold Coast dates back to 1865, but it took eleven years to realize this vision. The school's location was chosen amidst local agitation and the urgent need to start the institution, despite initial plans to establish it in Accra.[4][5]
The first headmaster was James Picot, a young French scholar, who was only 18 years old at his appointment. Despite his youth and relatively limited experience, Picot played a crucial role in the school's early days.[6]
Name change and evolution
editIn 1905 a graduate of the school, John Mensah Sarbah, founded a rival school named Mfantsipim; the name derives from "Mfantsefo-apem",[7] literally meaning "thousands of Fantes" but actually meaning "the gathering of hosts of scholars for change" originally by the Fantes. In July of the same year, the two schools were merged under the supervision of the Methodist Church, keeping the name Mfantsipim.[8]
Academic and cultural traditions
editThe school celebrates annual events such as the Speech and Prize Giving Day, which dates back to 1908, initiated by Rev. W. T. Balmer. This event is significant for recognizing academic and extracurricular achievements and maintaining a connection with alumni. The school anthem, sung at various events, encapsulates the school's history, values, and aspirations.[9][10]
Historical relocation and expansion
editOriginally built on the premises of the Cape Coast Castle, Mfantsipim was later moved to its current location on Kwabotwe Hill in northern Cape Coast in 1931. This move marked a significant phase in the school's expansion and development.[9]
Administration
editHead boys from 1928 to 2024
edit| Year | Head boy | Year | Head boy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | K. W. O. Assan | 1975/76 | Y. B. Yarquah |
| 1930 | C. J. Bannerman | 1976/77 | Fiifi Brandful |
| 1931 | L. K. Apaloo | 1977/78 | Kweku A. Awotwi |
| 1932 | H. K. Amu | 1978/79 | Arthur Hughes |
| 1933 | E. A. L. Bannerman | 1979/80 | Wormor K. Klu |
| 1934 | Peter Vanderpuije | 1980/81 | Sidney K. Koranteng |
| 1935 | E. A. Mensah | 1981/82 | Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe |
| 1936 | Joe Appiah | 1982/83 | F. K. T. Bedu-Addo |
| 1937 | W. B. Amankwatia | 1983/84 | M. Adjei-Addison |
| 1938 | K. A. Amonoo | 1984/85 | S. Akpebu |
| 1939 | M. A. Baddoo | 1985/86 | Eugene B. Sangmuah |
| 1940 | M. A. Oduro | 1986/87 | A. Kittoe |
| 1941 | A. W. Kayper-Mensah | 1987/88 | D. D. K. Larbi |
| 1942 | G. S. O. Chinery | 1988/89 | Daniel Tweneboah |
| 1943 | J. C. de Graft | 1989/90 | G. Asomaning |
| 1944 | G. M. Odamtten | 1990/91 | Yaw Berko |
| 1945 | Alex Quaison-Sackey | 1991/92 | M. Y. Paintsil |
| 1946 | J. L. Duncan-Neizer | 1992/93 | A. O. Ankrah |
| 1947 | J. W. Mensah | 1993/94 | E. Opoku Serebour |
| 1948 | J. W. L. Tamakloe | 1994/95 | Kwesi Nsaful |
| 1949 | P. A. L. Odidja | 1995/96 | Michael Ofori-Koree |
| 1950 | B. T. K. Adadevoh | 1996 | Collins Anno |
| 1951 | J. O. Martey | 1997 | James Aggrey-Orleans |
| 1998 | Kwabena Anti | ||
| 1999 | Lawrence Ofosu | ||
| 2000 | Kofi Nimo Domfeh | ||
| 2001 | K. Obiri-Yeboah | ||
| 2001/02 | N. N. Lokko | ||
| 2002/03 | A. K. Nsiah Asare | ||
| 2015/2016 | Nigel Twi Yeaboah | ||
| 2016/2017 | Jacob Ewusi Wilson | ||
| 2017/2018 | Edwin Edem Sedodo | ||
| 2018/2019 | Atta Doomson | ||
| 2023 | Alvin Elorm Addai | ||
| 2024 | Peter Appiah-Thompson | ||
| 2025 | Ato Kwamina Esilifie |
Notable alumni
edit- Ernest Addison, current governor of the Bank of Ghana
- Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, former vice president of the Republic of Ghana
- Kofi Annan, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Secretary-General of the United Nations[11]
- Kow Nkensen Arkaah, former vice President of the Republic of Ghana[12]
- Raphael Armattoe, scientist, nationalist, writer[13]
- Albert Adu Boahen, academic, historian and politician[14]
- Kofi Abrefa Busia, political leader, academic and Prime Minister of Ghana (1969–1972)[15]
- Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former president of ECOWAS commission
- Joseph W.S. de Graft-Johnson, former vice president of the Republic of Ghana[16]
- Joe de Graft, writer, playwright and dramatist; first director of the Ghana Drama Studio[17]
- J. E. Casely Hayford, journalist and politician[18]
- Kobina Arku Korsah, first Chief Justice of Ghana[19]
- John Mensah-Sarbah, diplomat, prominent lawyer and political leader in the Gold Coast (now Ghana)[20]
- Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Paramount Chief (Omanhen) of the Essikado (British Sekondi) Traditional Area in the Western Region of Ghana[21]
- Alex Quaison-Sackey, diplomat, first black president of the UN General Assembly
- Kobina Sekyi, lawyer, writer, nationalist[22]
- Tsatsu Tsikata, academic and lawyer[23]
- Arthur Wharton, England’s first black professional footballer[24]
Awards
edit- Winners of the 1999 & 2014 editions of the National Science and Maths Quiz[25]
- Winner of the 2021 of National Public Speaking competitions
- Six-time Sprite basketball champions
References
edit- ^ "Mfantsipim Senior Secondary School" Archived 28 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Ghana Schools.
- ^ "Tears at Mfantsipim school amidst tight security". Ghanaweb. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ "Mfantsipim School" Archived 28 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Ghana Nation, 13 March 2017.
- ^ "Mfantsipim School History | Schools In Ghana". schoolsInGh. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "Mfantsipim School: History, Academic Excellence, and Admission Process". Best Online Portal. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "The School – MOBA".
- ^ "Meaning of 'Mfantsipim'". AfricaSchoolsOnline. 7 June 2017. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- ^ Richard Bagudu (2007). Judging Annan. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. ISBN 9781425960933, pp. 22–23.
- ^ a b "Mfantsipim School: History, Academic Excellence, and Admission Process". 5 May 2023.
- ^ Gyasi, Kwame (2016). "Mfantsipim – 140 Years Of Senior Secondary Education In Ghana (1)". Modern Ghana.
- ^ Appiah, Edwin, "Kofi Annan led 'demo' over food at Mfantsipim", Joy Online, 10 August 2017.
- ^ "Remembering the Late Kow Nkensen Arkaah". 14 May 2020.
- ^ https://www.modernghana.com/news/422961/ulster-honours-famous-ghanaian-scientist.html [bare URL]
- ^ "Albert Kwadwo Adu Boahen | University of Ghana Alumni Relations Office".
- ^ "Kofi Abrefa Busia".
- ^ Okyere, Letitia Degraft (16 February 2024). The First Vice president: A Biography of JWS de Graft-Johnson. MacSwain. ISBN 978-1956776003.
- ^ "Muntu (African Writers Series)".
- ^ "Joseph Ephraim Casely Hayford: "Uncrowned King of West Africa," Father of Ghana's Nationalism, Pan-Africanist and the Founder of the National Congress of British West Africa".
- ^ https://theindependentghana.com/six-ghanaians-who-have-been-knighted-by-the-british-monarchy/ [bare URL]
- ^ "The Life of John Mensah Sarbah"
- ^ "Nana Kobena Nketsia". werus.org.
- ^ Yirenkyi, Samuel Manaseh; Ernest Kwasi Amponsah (April 2014). "Theatre and Social Change: Reasserting Traditional Values Through Theatre: The Role of Kobina Sekyi" (PDF). American Journal of Social Sciences, Arts and Literature. 1 (4): 1–8. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ "Tsatsu Tsikata | Who's Who in Ghana".
- ^ "Arthur Wharton: the world's first black professional footballer in from Ghana". Modern Ghana. 17 October 2014.
- ^ "Mfantsipim 2014 National Science & Maths Quiz". 9 July 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
- ^ "NSMQ playback: Mfantsipim beats Augusco, Keta SHTS to win contest - MyJoyOnline". www.myjoyonline.com. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "Mfantsipim School comes from behind to win third NSMQ trophy, thrashing AUGUSCO, KETASCO | 3News". 30 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "Mfantsipim School beats Augusco with one point to win 2024 NSMQ". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ HAMMOND, WISDOM K. E. (30 October 2024). "Mfantsipim wins 2024 NSMQ Finals by just 1 point difference". Education-News Consult. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
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