Photo Credit: Pats Tune

Since Ghana’s independence in 1957, several leaders have served as presidents of the country, each bringing their unique educational and professional experiences to the highest office. This article explores the educational backgrounds of Ghana’s presidents, from their basic schooling to higher education, as well as their periods in office. Which of these presidents is the most highly educated?

Each Ghanaian president has brought their unique educational experiences to leadership, reflecting diverse paths through local schools, prestigious secondary institutions, and higher education in Ghana and abroad. These educational journeys have shaped their perspectives, governing philosophies, and contributions to Ghana’s history and development.

Here are all the presidents in Ghana and their educational backgrounds:

1. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (1960-1966)

Basic Education: Attended Half Assini Catholic School in the Western Region of Ghana.

Secondary Education: Achimota School, Accra (Achimota was then one of the premier institutions in British West Africa).

Higher Education: Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, USA; University of Pennsylvania, USA.

Period in Office: Became the first Prime Minister in 1957 and the first President of Ghana from 1960 until he was overthrown in a coup in 1966.

Years in Office: 6 years as president, 9 years as Prime Minister and president combined.

He obtained a teacher’s certificate from the Prince of Wales College at Achimota in 1930. He also won a scholarship that provided for his tuition at Lincoln University where he studied a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and sociology in 1939.

He then enrolled at Lincoln’s seminary and at the Ivy League institution, the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia where he gained a Bachelor of Theology degree as the top student in the course. The following year he earned a Master of Arts degree in philosophy and a Master of Science in education from the same university.

2. Lt. Gen. Joseph Arthur Ankrah (1966-1969)

Basic Education: Accra Royal School.

Secondary Education: Accra Academy, a prominent boys’ secondary school in Ghana.

Higher Education: Military training in the British army, eventually becoming a major general.

Period in Office: Served as head of state after the 1966 coup that ousted Kwame Nkrumah.

Years in Office: Head of State of Ghana for 3 years.

Ankrah began his schooling in 1921 at the Wesleyan Methodist School in Accra, he then entered Accra Academy for his secondary education where he obtained the Senior Cambridge School Certificate in 1937. In October 1946, he went to the Marshfield Officer Cadets Training Unit in the United Kingdom and graduated in February 1947 as the first African officer in the Gold Coast Army.

3. Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa (1969)

Basic Education: Information on his early schooling is limited, but he joined the military academy early in his youth.

Secondary Education: Adisadel College

Higher Education:  Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot, England, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK, Defence College, at Teshie in Accra, and the School of Infantry, Hythe, United Kingdom.

Period in Office: Briefly served as head of state after Joseph Ankrah in 1969.

Years in Office: Head of State of Ghana for less than 1 year from 3 September 1969 to 7 August 1970.

4. Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia (1969-1972)

Basic Education: Wenchi Methodist School, Wenchi, Bono Region.

Secondary Education: Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast.

Higher Education: University College, Oxford, UK; later, he earned a doctorate from the University of Oxford.

Period in Office: Prime Minister in 1969 and President of the Second Republic from 1969 until his overthrow in 1972.

Years in Office: Prime Minister for approximately 2 years.

He obtained his first degree with Honours in Medieval and Modern History from the University of London. He then studied as the first African student at the University College, Oxford. Later, he returned to the Gold Coast in 1942 and took a BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and a DPhil in Social Anthropology in 1947 at Nuffield College, Oxford.

5. Lt. Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (1972-1978)

Basic Education: Trabuom Elementary School, Ashanti Region.

Secondary Education: St. Peter’s School (catholic) at Kumasi. He also trained as a teacher before joining the military.

Higher Education: Central College of Commerce at Agona Swedru in the Central Region. Military training at the Ghana Military Academy and Aldershot, England as a cadet officer.

Period in Office: Came to power through a coup in 1972.

Years in Office: Military Head of State for 6 years.

6. Lt. Gen. Frederick W.K. Akuffo (1978-1979)

Basic Education: Presumably attended primary schools in Accra.

Secondary Education:  Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School in Odumase Krobo.

Higher Education: Additional training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK, and  National Defence College in India in 1973.

Period in Office: Head of state for a brief period in 1978-1979.

Years in Office: Head of State of a military government for less than 1 year.

7. Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings (1979, 1981-2001)

Basic Education: Attended various schools due to his mixed heritage and family relocations.

Secondary Education: Achimota School, Accra, 1967

Higher Education: Ghana Air Force Pilot Training School, Takoradi, graduated in 1969.

Period in Office: Briefly in 1979 and then returned in 1981; ruled until 2001.

Years in Office: He served for 19 years cumulatively and became the longest-serving Ghanaian president.

8. Dr. Hilla Limann (1979-1981)

Basic Education: He attended basic school at Government Middle School in Tamale in 1949.

Secondary Education: Government Secondary School, Tamale.

Higher Education: London School of Economics, University of London, UK and the University of Paris.

Period in Office: Elected in 1979 but was overthrown by Rawlings in 1981.

Years in Office: President of Ghana for approximately 2 years.

Between 1957 and 1960, he studied political science at the London School of Economics. He later earned a diploma in French from Sorbonne University in France. Additionally, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in History from the University of London and completed a Ph.D. in Political Science and Constitutional Law at the University of Paris.

9. John Agyekum Kufuor (2001-2009)

Basic Education: Attended Kumasi Government School, Ashanti Region. Continued primary education at Osei Tutu Boarding School from 1951 to 1953.

Secondary Education: Prempeh College, Kumasi.

Higher Education: Lincoln’s Inn, London where he studied law after he attended Oxford University, UK (graduating from Exeter College), where he studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE).

Period in Office: Served two terms from 2001 to 2009.

Years in Office: President of Ghana for 8 years.

10. Professor John Evans Atta Mills (2009-2012)

Basic Education: He attended Huni Valley Methodist Primary School and Komenda Methodist Middle School.

Secondary Education: Achimota School, Accra.

Higher Education: University of Ghana, Legon (Law); London School of Economics and Political Science, UK (LLM); School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), UK (PhD).

Period in Office: Elected in 2009, he served until he died in 2012.

Years in Office: President of Ghana for approximately 3 years.

11. John Dramani Mahama (2012-2017)

Basic Education: Accra Newton Experimental School, Achimota Primary School

Secondary Education: Ghana Secondary School at Tamale in the Northern Region,

Higher Education: University of Ghana, Legon (BA History and postgraduate diploma in communication studies), and the Institute of Social Sciences (postgraduate degree), Moscow, Russia.

Period in Office: Vice President in 2009, took office as President after Mills died in 2012, and served until 2017.

Years in Office: President of Ghana for approximately 5 years.

12. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (2017-2025)

Basic Education: He started his primary education at the Government Boys School and Rowe Road School (now Kinbu), both in Accra Central. He then went to England and continued his education at Holmewood House Preparatory School.

Secondary Education: He studied for his O-Level and A-Level examinations at Lancing College, Sussex, UK.

Higher Education: He began to study Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at New College, Oxford, in 1962, but left soon afterward. He returned to Ghana and attended the University of Ghana, Legon (BSc Econ); Inns of Court School of Law, London, UK (Barrister-at-Law).

Period in Office: Assumed office in 2017 and is serving his second term.

Years in Office: President of Ghana for 8 years.

Here’s a table summarizing the educational backgrounds and terms in office of all Ghanaian presidents:

PresidentBasic EducationSecondary EducationHigher EducationPeriod in OfficeYears in Office
Dr. Kwame NkrumahHalf Assini Catholic SchoolAchimota School, AccraLincoln University, University of Pennsylvania1960-19666 years
Lt. Gen. Joseph AnkrahAccra Royal SchoolAccra AcademyMarshfield Officer Cadets Training, UK1966-19693 years
Brigadier Akwasi AfrifaUnknownAdisadel CollegeMons Officer Cadet School, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Defence College, School of Infantry1969<1 year
Dr. Kofi Abrefa BusiaWenchi Methodist SchoolMfantsipim SchoolUniversity of London (History), University College Oxford (BA & DPhil in Social Anthropology)1969-19722 years
Lt. Col. Ignatius AcheampongTrabuom Elementary SchoolSt. Peter’s School, KumasiCentral College of Commerce; Ghana Military Academy; Aldershot, UK1972-19786 years
Lt. Gen. Frederick AkuffoUnknownPresbyterian Boys’ Secondary School, Odumase KroboRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK; National Defence College, India1978-1979<1 year
Flight Lt. Jerry RawlingsVarious SchoolsAchimota School, AccraGhana Air Force Pilot Training School1979, 1981-200119 years
Dr. Hilla LimannGovernment Middle School, TamaleGovernment Secondary School, TamaleLondon School of Economics, University of London (History), University of Paris (PhD Political Science & Constitutional Law)1979-19812 years
John Agyekum KufuorKumasi Government SchoolPrempeh College, KumasiOxford University (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics); Lincoln’s Inn, London (Law)2001-20098 years
Prof. John Evans Atta MillsHuni Valley Methodist Primary, Komenda MethodistAchimota School, AccraUniversity of Ghana (Law), London School of Economics (LLM), SOAS (PhD)2009-20123 years
John Dramani MahamaAccra Newton Experimental School, Achimota PrimaryGhana Secondary School, TamaleUniversity of Ghana, Institute of Social Sciences, Moscow2012-20175 years
Nana Akufo-AddoGovernment Boys School, Rowe Road School, AccraLancing College, Sussex, UKUniversity of Ghana, Inns of Court School of Law, London2017-present8 years

Which Ghanaian President is the Most Well-educated?

    Known as the first president and prime minister of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah pursued an extensive education abroad after attending basic and secondary schooling in Ghana. He graduated from Lincoln University in the USA and later attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied economics and sociology, ultimately shaping his ideologies and leadership style. His academic journey in the United States heavily influenced his socialist philosophy, which guided Ghana’s early independence efforts.

    Atta Mills earned degrees in law from the University of Ghana and the London School of Economics. He furthered his studies with a PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in the UK, specializing in taxation and economic law. Mills’ extensive academic credentials made him a scholar-president, with a background that influenced his focus on legal reforms and economic policy during his tenure.

    Kufuor’s education reflects a strong foundation in political philosophy, with studies at the University of Oxford, where he pursued Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). This background gave him a robust grasp of economic policies and governance, contributing to his effective leadership and policies on social programs and economic growth during his two terms in office.

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