St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School, Cantoments

Gender - Boys
Housing status - Day
Year of Establishment - 1952

About St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School

The Saint Thomas Aquinas Senior High School was established in the Greater Accra Region by the Catholic missionaries on 15 January 1952 in the present premises of St. Peter's Catholic Church. The St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School started with 10 boys and 5 teachers in 1952.

The Roman Catholic missionaries were at the vanguard of establishing schools across Ghana to educate boys in the catholic tradition. It was in this direction that the Roman Catholic Bishop of Accra, the Most Rev. Adolph Alexander Noser, started the school in a two-storey house at Osu-Anohor, close to the littoral, with a limited number of fifty students.

The original staff comprised three Society of the Divine Word (SVD) Reverend Fathers, Father Alphonse Elsbernd (the first headmaster), Father George Wilson and Father Fisher, Mr Augustine Adu and Paul Baddoo. In March 1954, Father Clement Hotze took over the reins of administration of the school as Headmaster; with a student population of 130 and staff of 8. Hotze knew that the proper development of the school depended on two main projects, Assistance from the Government and recognition from the West African Examinations Council. He was never tired working on these projects, until his efforts were rewarded in January and April 1957.

The school was recognized as government-assisted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to present candidates for the Ordinary Level Examination in 1957, when Rev. Father John McKillip became headmaster. In November 1955, Fr Hotze presented the first candidate for the School Certificate Examination and had a 100% pass rate; one candidate was presented and one candidate passed; and this was a feather in his cap.

VISION

To be a centre of sound secondary education with moral and religious training for the youth.

MISSION

Providing a learner-friendly environment combined with students-centred teaching and learning methods and strategies, ensuring an open administration and teacher and student motivation to imbue students with required skills, knowledge and discipline for a brighter future.

COURSES OFFERED

• General Science
• General Arts
• Visual Arts
• Agriculture
• Business

SCHOOL STATISTICS

• No. of Students (SHS 1): 686
• No. of Students (SHS 2): 892
• No. of Students (SHS 3): 743

SCHOOL FACILITIES

• 6 Science Labs
• 2 Computer Labs
• Library
• A Multi-purpose Basketball court
• A Football Field

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Won the First position in the 2017 Moot Law competition organised by the Judicial Council.
• Won the second position in the 2017 National Science and Maths Quiz competition.
• Won the 2013 National Science and Maths Quiz competition.

Source:
Ghana Education Service (GES)
Ministry of Education, Ghana