Labone Senior High School is a coeducational day school located in the Labone neighbourhood of Accra, Ghana. Established with a mission to provide quality secondary education accessible to students in the city, the school has grown over the years into a respected institution known for its emphasis on academic achievement, personal discipline, and community involvement.

With a modest campus that blends urban convenience and green spaces, Labone Senior High School serves students from diverse backgrounds, preparing them for tertiary education and responsible citizenship.

History

Labone Senior High School was founded in 1986 under the leadership of the Ghana Education Service as a public second-cycle institution. Initially called Labone Secondary School, it began with only a handful of teachers and fewer than one hundred students.

The early focus was on offering core subjects in English, Mathematics, and General Science to meet the educational needs of the growing suburban population. In 1990, the school was renamed Labone Senior High School to reflect its full status as a senior high institution.

Over subsequent decades, additional academic programs were introduced, buildings were expanded, and extracurricular offerings were added. Though it remains relatively young compared to many historic Ghanaian schools, Labone SHS has steadily built a reputation for steadily improving academic results and a close-knit community atmosphere.

Location

Labone Senior High School sits on a compact urban plot abutting Oxford Road in Labone, a residential district situated between the Osu neighbourhood to the south and the Cantonments to the north. The campus is approximately four kilometres southeast of Accra’s central business district, providing convenient road access for students living in various parts of the city.

Surrounding landmarks include the Ghana International Trade Fair Complex to the east and several expatriate residential enclaves to the north. Despite its city-centre location, the school grounds maintain patches of mature shade trees and small lawns that give the campus a somewhat tranquil feel in contrast to the busy streets around it.

Population

As of the 2024–2025 academic year, Labone Senior High School enrols roughly 3,200 students. The student body is drawn largely from Accra’s Greater Accra Region but also includes a growing number of learners from neighbouring regions such as Central, Eastern, and Volta.

Being a day school, Labone does not provide boarding facilities, so nearly all students commute daily from their homes or rented apartments in nearby neighbourhoods. The teaching staff numbers around 80, covering a range of subject areas, which results in an average student-to-teacher ratio of about 15 to 1. This ratio allows for meaningful teacher-student interactions, though some classes can be larger in core subjects such as English and Mathematics.

Campus

Although Labone Senior High School occupies a relatively small urban footprint, the campus is well organised to maximise available space. The main administrative block houses the headmaster’s office, staff offices, and a small reception area.

Two classroom wings flank the courtyard—a U-shaped arrangement that lets sunlight into shared open spaces. One wing contains six classrooms used for general subjects, while the other houses specialised rooms for Visual Arts and Home Economics. A modest science block contains laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, each equipped with basic apparatus and safety provisions.

The library occupies a single room adjacent to the science block and holds several thousand books, newspapers, and past examination papers. A dedicated computer laboratory with internet connectivity supports Information and Communication Technology instruction.

Outdoor facilities include a partially tarmacked assembly ground where morning devotion, assemblies, and physical education drills take place. A small football pitch lies behind the main buildings, though it is often used for multiple sports—athletics practice, netball, and handball—because of limited space.

To the east, a covered open-air pavilion serves as a venue for drama productions, debates, and prize-giving ceremonies. Staff quarters and a small canteen building are located near the school’s entrance. The entire campus is enclosed by a perimeter fence painted in the school’s colours, ensuring security and a clear boundary with neighbouring properties.

Extracurricular Activities

Labone Senior High School offers a range of extracurricular activities that cater to varied student interests. The school’s debate and public-speaking club meets weekly to practice argumentation skills and often participates in district-level competitions.

A drama club stages one major production each academic year, typically drawing on local folklore or contemporary social issues to engage both cast and audience. The Visual Arts program is particularly active; students produce paintings, sculptures, and graphic designs that are displayed during an annual exhibition day in December.

Sporting activities include soccer, athletics, basketball, and volleyball. While Labone does not have a large playing field, the soccer team practices on a compact pitch and competes in zonal inter-school tournaments. The athletics squad trains on nearby public tracks and has produced sprinters who compete at regional meets.

Girls’ and boys’ basketball teams train in the covered pavilion, and the volleyball team participates in local league matches. Beyond sports, the school hosts a Scripture Union fellowship for students interested in spiritual growth, as well as a science and mathematics club that organises weekend study sessions and quizzes to strengthen academic understanding.

Boarding Houses

Labone Senior High School does not operate boarding houses. As a day school, it expects all students to reside off-campus, returning home each evening. This arrangement enables greater flexibility for families living within a reachable distance and reduces the need for large-scale residential facilities.

To support students who live farther away, the school provides a network of vetted transport arrangements and encourages safe commuting practices. A small number of students rent rooms or small apartments with vigilante security in nearby residential neighbourhoods to minimise travel time.

School Uniform

The Labone SHS uniform is designed to promote a sense of unity and discipline. All students wear a light blue short-sleeved shirt featuring the school emblem over the breast pocket. Boys pair this with navy-blue trousers, while girls wear a navy-blue skirt that falls just below the knee.

On formal occasions such as Speech and Prize-Giving Day, male students add a navy-blue jacket and tie bearing the school logo, and female students wear a matching blazer and a navy-blue necktie. Footwear for all students is plain black leather shoes paired with navy socks.

The uniform policy prohibits excessive jewellery, enforces neat hairstyles (short hair for boys, simple braided or tied styles for girls), and requires students to keep their shoes polished. Physical education days require a separate sports kit: a white polo shirt with the school crest and navy-coloured tracksuit bottoms.

Courses Offered

Labone Senior High School follows the Ghana Education Service curriculum, leading to the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The school offers five main program tracks: General Arts, General Science, Business, Visual Arts, and Home Economics.

In the General Arts track, students study core subjects including Literature in English, Economics, Geography, Government, History, and Elective Mathematics. The Business track comprises Accounting, Economics, Business Management, Elective Mathematics, and principles of entrepreneurship.

The Visual Arts program—one of Labone’s strengths—includes courses in Graphic Design, Sculpture, Ceramics, and Art History alongside core subjects. The Home Economics track offers Food and Nutrition, Clothing and Textiles, Management in Living, and Elective Mathematics. All students, regardless of track, take compulsory courses such as English Language, Core Mathematics, Ghanaian Language (where applicable), Religious and Moral Education, and Physical Education in junior classes.

Teachers are selected for subject expertise and experience, and ongoing professional development workshops are organised in collaboration with local education authorities to ensure that teaching methods remain current. The school also provides remedial classes for students who need additional support in core subjects, as well as tutorial sessions during school vacations for exam preparation.

Motto

Labone Senior High School places strong emphasis on discipline, character formation, and community engagement. The school motto—“Knowledge, Discipline, Service”—reflects its threefold focus: academic excellence, personal responsibility, and service to others.

A student pastoral care team, composed of senior teachers, oversees welfare issues, counselling, and peer mentorship. The small infirmary on campus is staffed by a nurse who handles minor injuries and routine health checks; more serious cases are referred to nearby hospitals.

To encourage responsible citizenship, the school organises community service programs that partner with local NGOs. Projects include neighbourhood clean-ups, health education workshops in nearby schools, and fundraising drives for charitable causes. Labone SHS also hosts an annual career day in partnership with former graduates, allowing students to explore tertiary education and career opportunities in fields such as law, medicine, engineering, journalism, and the arts.

Category

Labone Senior High School is one of the best category B schools. Labone SHS is also one of the best mixed SHS in Accra and the nation as a whole.

Academic performance at Labone SHS has steadily improved over the past decade. WASSCE pass rates in core subjects such as English, Mathematics, and Science regularly place the school in the upper third of Accra-based public schools. Teachers employ participatory teaching methods, including group projects and classroom debates, to engage students actively.

Remedial and tutorial classes help struggling students meet minimum competency standards. While Labone does not consistently rank among the very top tier of nationally renowned schools, its mid-tier standing reflects a commitment to maintaining sound academic standards.

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Facilities

Labone’s campus facilities are modest but functional. The science laboratories meet basic requirements for practical work, though they do not match the scale or modern equipment found in larger boarding schools.

The library, though smaller than those at some of Ghana’s elite institutions, provides sufficient study space and resources to support students’ academic research. The computer lab, furnished with around twenty internet-enabled desktops, supports ICT instruction but can become crowded during peak periods.

The urban setting limits sporting facilities; the compact football pitch and multi-use pavilion suffice for basic training but restrict large-scale tournaments. Overall, facilities at Labone SHS are good for a day school in Accra.

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular engagement at Labone SHS is robust given the school’s size and location. The drama club, debate team, and science and mathematics club achieve respectable success in citywide competitions. The Visual Arts program’s exhibitions draw attention from local art communities, enhancing the school’s cultural profile.

Sports teams maintain regular participation in zonal leagues, especially in soccer and athletics. While the school does not have a national championship pedigree in sports or academics, its students consistently place in the top half of district-level contests. The breadth of extracurricular offerings helps students develop confidence, creativity, and teamwork skills.

Alumni Outcomes

Graduates of Labone SHS have gone on to study at public and private universities both in Ghana and overseas. While the school does not boast a long list of prominent public figures among its alumni, many former students pursue careers in education, public administration, business, and the creative arts. A small but active alumni association organises occasional fundraising events and mentorship programs for current students, strengthening the ties between past and present cohorts.

Conclusion

Labone Senior High School offers a balanced secondary education in an urban setting, combining academic rigour, a variety of extracurricular activities, and community engagement. As a day school with limited facilities, it may not match the scale or resources of boarding institutions, but it excels in providing accessible, quality education to its student population.

Its steady academic performance, active clubs and societies, and emphasis on discipline and service make Labone SHS a valuable option for families seeking a well-rounded education in Accra. Considering the factors of tuition quality, facilities, extracurricular strength, and broader outcomes, Labone Senior High School occupies a solid mid-tier ranking among Ghanaian second-cycle institutions, with steady prospects for growth and improvement.

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