Aburi Girls' Senior High School, formerly Aburi Girls' Secondary School, also known as ABUGISS, is a
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
senior high
boarding school
A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
for girls located south of
Aburi in the
Eastern Region Eastern Region or East Region may refer to:
* Eastern Region (Abu Dhabi): Al Ain
*Eastern Region, Ghana
*Eastern Region (Iceland)
*Eastern Region, Nepal
*Eastern Region, Nigeria
* Eastern Region, Serbia
* Eastern Region, Uganda
* Eastern Region of ...
of
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
.
The
brother school of Aburi Girls is
Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School, known as "PRESEC".
History
Aburi Girls Senior High School was formally established as a secondary school for girls in 1946 with only seven students;.
However, its origin dates as far back as 1852, when the
Basel Missionaries opened a school at primary level for girls at their mission station inside the town. The primary school continued until its takeover by the
Scottish Mission during the
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. In the 1920s the training of teachers was begun alongside a kindergarten section and a middle school, also for girls, and in 1946, secondary classes were introduced side by side with the teacher-training course.
In 1950 the Presbyterian Church of the Gold Coast (now Ghana) took over the Management of the school when its partner missions the Basel Mission and the Scottish Mission left. The secondary school was physically separated from the teacher training classes and moved to its present site on its present site on the outskirts of Aburi in 1954. Classes ran from Form 1 to Form 5 until 1958, when a Sixth Form was added. Presently the 3-year Senior High School system is run.
In 1972, the Methodist Training College located on the southern side of the school was closing down so Joyce Asibey, the first Ghanaian Headmistress initiated negotiations with the Methodist Church to acquire the college premises for the school. The compound had a dining hall, dormitory and classrooms and so it was used to house form one students. This was done to reduce the incidence of bullying. Due to the increase in numbers in the 1990s, this arrangement was stopped and the old “Metico” building is now bonafide house known as Irene Anderson House just as the entire compound.
The school is located on the easternmost part of the ridge forming the
Akuapem Mountains, about a mile to the south of Aburi.
Global Robotics Competition
A total of 12 students from the Aburi Girls Senior High School will be representing Ghana at the first ever Global Robotics Competition.
Houses
The school currently has eight houses, named as follows:
* Aberdeen House
* Irene Anderson House
* Sylvia Asempa House
* Barradale House
* Chapel House
* Edinburgh House
* Kilsyth House
* Royal Park House
Programmes offered
Below are academic programmes offered in the school:
* Business
* Visual Arts
* Home Economics
* General Science
* General Arts
Achievements
Between 2011 and 2015, the school cleared the top awards in two categories in the
West African Senior School Certificate Examination
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is a type of standardized test in West Africa. Students who pass the exam receive a certificate confirming their graduation from secondary education. It is administered by the West A ...
(WASSCE) winning Best in Mathematics and Science. Also in 2015, the school won the three top awards in the National Best School and Best Teacher Awards for the Senior High School Division for the Eastern Region.
Notable alumni
*
Akosua Adomako Ampofo
Josephine Akosua Adomako Ampofo is a Ghanaian academic who is a professor of Gender Studies and African Studies at the University of Ghana. She is feminist activist-scholar, and a strong advocate for social justice.
Early life and education
Am ...
, Ghanaian academic, sociologist and professor of Gender studies and African studies at the
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian national public universities.
The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the Br ...
*
Senyuiedzorm Awusi Adadevoh
Senyuiedzorm Awusi Adadevoh (born in Dzelukope, Volta Region of Ghana) is a Ghanaian sports photographer and photojournalist based in Accra, Ghana. Her career as a photographer began in 1999, eventually transitioning into sports photography in ...
, photojournalist
*
Vida Akoto-Bamfo
Vida Akoto-Bamfo is a retired Ghanaian Supreme Court Judge. She served on the Supreme Court bench from 2009 to 2019.
Early life and education
Akoto-Bamfo was born on 7 February 1949 to Mr. Alfred Kingsley Bannerman-Williams and Madam Grace Darku ...
, justice of the
Supreme Court of Ghana
The Supreme Court of Ghana is the highest judicial body in Ghana. Ghana's 1992 constitution guarantees the independence and separation of the Judiciary from the Legislative and the Executive arms of government.1992 Constitution Article 125( ...
(2009 – 2019)
*
Gloria Akuffo, current Attorney-general of Ghana and Minister of Justice
*
Sylvia Anie
Sylvia Josephine Anie FRSC is a Ghanaian chemist known for her work in magnetic resonance imaging and international policy making.
Education
Anie is a graduate of Aburi Girls’ Senior High School. She completed her doctoral dissertation in 19 ...
, chemist,
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, received an award from the Old Students Association of Aburi Girls’ Senior High School recognizing her contributions to scientific knowledge.
*
Francisca Ashietey-Odunton
Francisca Ashietey-Odunton is a Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and diplomat. She was formerly the Acting Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and currently Ghana's high commissioner to Turkey (2020-date), haven served earlier ...
, journalist, broadcaster and diplomat
*
Ivy Barley
Ivy Barley is a Ghanaian entrepreneur, program manager and women in tech activist. She is the co-founder of Developers in Vogue, an organization that is paving the way for more African women to take up opportunities in the tech industry. In Ja ...
, Ghanaian entrepreneur
*
Veronica Bekoe
Veronica Bekoe is a biologist from Ghana. She is known for her impact in the invention of the Veronica bucket used to reduce the spread of communicable diseases.
Education
Veronica attended Aburi Girls SHS. She later furthered her education a ...
, Ghanaian Biological scientist, inventor of
Veronica Bucket
The Veronica bucket is a mechanism for hand washing originating in Ghana which consists of a bucket of water with a tap fixed at the bottom, mounted at hand height, and a bowl at the bottom to collect waste water. The Veronica bucket was develop ...
*
Abena Brigidi
Abena B. Brigidi (Mrs.) is a Ghanaian investment analyst author and speaker. She is a certified financial analyst and a thoroughly bred banker with over a decade in the financial Industry. Abena is married to legal practitioner David Cobbina Brigi ...
, investment analyst author and speaker
*
Esi Awuah
Esi Awuah is a Ghanaian academic and former vice chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani, Ghana.
Early life and education
Esi Awuah is the eldest child of Emmanuel Broni Asare and Margaret Annan. Her father is fro ...
, Ghanaian academic;foundation vice chancellor of the
University of Energy and Natural Resources
The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR; french: Université de l'énergie et des ressources naturelles) is a public-funded university in Ghana, that was established by an Act of the Parliament of Ghana, Act 830, 2011 on December 31, ...
, Ghana
*
Matilda Baffour Awuah, Security expert, former Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service
*
Christine Alexandra Clerk, physician and epidemiologist
*
Nuong Faalong
Edith Nuong Faalong is a Ghanaian entrepreneur, journalist, writer, activist and also actor.
Early life and education
Nuong hails from Lawra in the Upper West Region of Ghana, She had her secondary education at Aburi Girls Senior High School ...
, Ghanaian journalist, activist, and actress
*
Elsie Effah Kaufmann
Elsie Akosua Biraa Effah Kaufmann (born 7 September 1969) is a Ghanaian academic, academic administrator, biomedical engineer, and current host of the National Science and Maths Quiz. In December 2020, Elsie Kaufmann was appointed an associa ...
, current Host of the
National Science and Math Quiz and biomedical engineering scholar
*
Lovelace Johnson
Avril Lovelace-Johnson is a Ghanaian judge. She was nominated for the position of a Supreme Court of Ghana judge in November 2019 and received parliamentary approval in December 2019. She was sworn in on 17 December 2019. She has been on the ben ...
, active Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana (2019–)
*
Ofie Kodjoe
Ofie Kodjoe is an American-Ghanaian singer, actress, radio presenter and motivational speaker.
Early life
Ofie was born in New York City to W.B. Ofuatey-Kodjoe, a political science professor, and Virginie Ofuatey-Kodjoe (Nee Coussey). The middle ...
,
American-Ghanaian singer, actress, radio presenter and motivational speaker
*
Deloris Frimpong Manso
Deloris Frimpong Manso, popularly known as "Delay", is an entrepreneur, television and radio show host, producer, public speaker and Women's Advocate in Ghana.
Career
Radio and Television
Delay started her broadcasting career as a Presente ...
, entrepreneur, television and radio show host, producer, public speaker and Women's Advocate
*
Ernestina Naadu Mills
Ernestina Naadu Mills (née Botchway) is a Ghanaian educator and former First Lady of Ghana. She was the wife of former Ghanaian president John Atta Mills (21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012), and is the recipient of a Humanitarian award from the Heal ...
, educator and former
First Lady of Ghana
First Lady of Ghana is the title of the wife of a sitting president of Ghana. The current first lady is Rebecca Akufo-Addo, who has held the position since 2017. They are not officially given salaries but the Ghanaian first and second lady are b ...
*
Ellen Serwaa Nee-Whang, retired Ghanaian diplomat
*
Abena Oduro, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Social Science at the
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian national public universities.
The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the Br ...
*
Rose Constance Owusu
Rose Constance Owusu is a Ghanaian former Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana. She served on the Supreme Court bench from 2008 to 2014.
Early life and education
Owusu was born on 24 August 1944 at Koforidua. Between 1958 and 1964, she attended ...
, justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana (2008 – 2014)
*
Akosua Adoma Perbi, Ghanaian author and history professor
*
Cina Soul
Christie Quincyna Quarcoopome also known in showbiz as Cina Soul is a Ghanaian singer-songwriter and recording artist. A finalist at the 2014 Vodafone Ghana Music Icons competition held in Accra, Ghana.
Early life
Christie Quincyna Quarcoopome ...
, singer-songwriter and recording artist
*
Johanna Odonkor Svanikier
Johanna Odonkor Svanikier is the founding President and CEO of the Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa. She is also the immediate past Ambassador of Ghana to France and Portugal, as well as to the International Organisation of La Francophonie ...
, diplomat
*
Theresa Amerley Tagoe
Theresa Amerley Tagoe (December 13, 1943 – November 25, 2010) also known as Iron Lady was a Ghanaian female politician and a leading member of the New Patriotic Party and a former Member of Parliament of the Ablekuma South Constituency.
Early ...
, Ghanaian politician
References
External links
Official website{spaced endashundergoing redevelopment as of March 2021.
Boarding schools in Ghana
Girls' schools in Ghana
High schools in Ghana
Presbyterian schools in Africa
Educational institutions established in 1946
1946 establishments in Gold Coast (British colony)
Christian schools in Ghana
Public schools in Ghana
Education in the Eastern Region (Ghana)