Keta Senior High Technical School, commonly known as Ketasco, is a mixed public boarding and day secondary institution located in Dzelukope, Keta, in Ghana’s Volta Region. Founded in the early 1950s, the school has grown into one of the largest senior high technical schools in Ghana.
It is widely respected for combining strong academics with practical technical training, nurturing students to become skilled professionals and responsible citizens.
History
Ketasco was officially established on 27 February 1953 as a day secondary school to serve the children of Keta and the surrounding communities. The founding headmaster, Mr. Nathan Quao, began with just twenty-two pioneer students and himself teaching all eight subjects.
In 1961, the school moved to its permanent site on land donated by local leaders and became one of the first beneficiaries of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s Trust Fund Schools. Over time, Ketasco evolved from a simple day school into a full boarding institution offering both academic and technical programs, reflecting national efforts to expand vocational education.
Location
The school sits on a gently sloping tract of land at Dzelukope, just outside the town centre of Keta in the Volta Region. Its address is P.O. Box KW 122, Keta.
Located near the Keta Municipal District offices and the lagoon shore, the campus enjoys sea breezes and an open atmosphere. The surrounding area consists of residential neighbourhoods, small markets, and transport links to other parts of the region.
Population
As of the 2020 academic year, Ketasco has an enrollment of approximately 3,500 students drawn from across the Volta Region and beyond. The teaching staff strength stands at about 150, giving an average class size of nearly fifty students.
The student body is fairly balanced in gender, with both boys and girls participating equally in academic and technical programs. The large population makes Ketasco one of the most populous senior high schools in the region.
Campus
The Ketasco campus covers around 100 acres of land, with a mix of historic and modern buildings. The main administration block and original dormitories date to the late 1950s.
Over the years, new classroom blocks were constructed to accommodate growing enrollment, including specialised wings for technical workshops.
The science complex houses three laboratories where physics, chemistry, and biology practicals take place.
Two ICT laboratories provide computer literacy training, and the on-site library stocks textbooks, reference materials, and past examination papers.
Outdoor areas include a spacious football field, a multipurpose games court for basketball and volleyball, and shaded assembly grounds.
Extracurricular activities
Students at Ketasco engage in a wide range of clubs and societies beyond the classroom. The school has a thriving cadet corps that teaches drill, discipline, and leadership. The debate and public speaking team competes in municipal and zonal contests, often earning top placements. In sports, Ketasco is known for its basketball prowess—having won the national Sprite Ball competition in 2014—and for strong showings in track and field events.
Cultural clubs include drama, choral ensemble, and traditional dance, providing opportunities for artistic expression. Technical societies, such as the Engineering and Robotics Club and the Agricultural Science Club, enable hands-on project work and community service.
Boarding houses
Ketasco accommodates boarders in four traditional houses named Quao, Fiawoo, Abruquah, and Kotoka. Each house is overseen by a housemaster or housemistress and supported by matrons and prefects.
Quao House, named after the founding headmaster, and Abruquah House, named after the third headmaster, are often called the “City” houses. The Fiawoo and Kotoka Houses are known as the “Zongo” houses. Additionally, a modern hostel, funded by the Parent-Teacher Association, offers extra capacity for boys who cannot secure space in the traditional houses. Dormitories foster camaraderie and healthy competition through inter-house sports, quizzes, and cultural displays.
School uniform
The Ketasco uniform consists of a khaki short-sleeved shirt paired with matching khaki shorts or trousers. Girls wear the same khaki shirt with a khaki skirt. The school crest is embroidered above the breast pocket, and khaki socks and black shoes complete the outfit.
On formal days, students add a khaki tie bearing the school logo. For sports and physical education, they change into a white polo shirt with a khaki stripe and khaki shorts. A strict grooming policy ensures neat hairstyles and polished footwear, reinforcing discipline and school pride.
Courses offered
Ketasco offers seven main program tracks under the Ghana Education Service curriculum leading to the West African Senior School Certificate Examination. These tracks are General Science, General Arts, Business, Home Economics, Visual Arts, Agricultural Science, and Technical.
The Technical department provides training in subjects such as Woodwork, Metalwork, Technical Drawing, and Electrical Installation alongside core academic subjects. In the Agricultural Science track, students learn crop science, animal husbandry, and agribusiness. Arts and business students study elective mathematics, economics, accounting, and literature, while visual arts pupils explore design, ceramics, and graphics.
Other relevant information
Beyond academics and technical training, Ketasco emphasises student welfare and community engagement. The school operates a health clinic staffed by a nurse, provides subsidised meals in the dining hall, and runs a counselling centre for personal and career guidance.
An active alumni association, known as Ketasco Past Students’ Union, supports scholarships, infrastructure projects, and mentorship programs. Annual events such as Speech and Prize-Giving Day and Founders’ Day celebrate student achievements and the school’s heritage.
Ranking
When evaluating Ketasco’s standing, several factors come into focus. The quality of tuition is reflected in its steady improvement in WASSCE results and high pass rates in technical subjects. Facilities are robust for a regional school, with well-equipped labs, workshops, and a large sports field.
Extracurricular success in basketball, quizzes, and cadet activities underscores a vibrant student life. Although there is no formal international ranking for Ghanaian secondary schools, Ketasco’s reputation extends into neighbouring Togo and Benin through student exchanges. Alumni occupy leadership roles in government, business, and the military, enhancing the school’s profile.
Taken together, these elements place Keta Senior High Technical School among the top technical senior high schools not only in the Volta Region but in Ghana and highlight its role as a centre for both academic and technical excellence.
READ MORE RELATED CONTENT:
ABURI GIRLS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
ACCRA ACADEMY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
WESLEY GIRLS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
ACCRA GIRLS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
-
10 COUNTRIES WITH FREE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION IN AFRICA. WILL IT LAST?
ambia introduced free upper secondary education in 2015, Namibia and Tanzania in 2016, Ghana in 2017, Malawi and Sierra Leone in 2019, Zambia in 2022, and South Sudan in 2023. There thus appears to be a strong momentum towards free education at the lower as well as at the upper secondary level. These ten countries…
-
FREE vs PRIVATE SHS in GHANA. Is Public Better Than Private Senior High Schools in Ghana?
With the introduction of free senior high education in Ghana in 2017, the educational landscape in Ghana is beginning to change. Parents and students are beginning to wonder if private education is better than public education not just in primary school but in senior high school.
-
Technical Universities in Ghana and their Courses
The general entry requirement into all Technical Universities in Ghana for all applicants including WASCE/SSSCE applicants is six (6) passes (A1 – D7/A-D) in all subjects including English Language, Core Mathematics and Integrated Science/Social Studies; and at least three (3) of the subjects must be C6/D or better. The Elective subjects must be relevant to…
-
UNIVERSITIES IN GHANA AND THEIR COURSES
There are 15 public universities and 10 technical universities in Ghana. All of these universities offer several courses and have requirements students must meet known as the cutoff point to gain admission into the universities. This article will show all public universities in Ghana and the courses they offer.
-
Ghana Secondary Technical School (Campus, Courses, Uniform)
Ghana Secondary Technical School, commonly known as GSTS or by its nicknames “The Giants” and “Tescans,” is a prestigious all-boys boarding institution located in Takoradi. GSTS is a Category A senior high school in the Western Region with a school code 0040104.
-
Kwabenya Community Senior High School (Campus, Courses, Uniform)
Kwabenya Community Senior High School was commissioned on November 11, 2016, as a sponsored project between the World Bank and the Government of Ghana to improve the quality and accessibility of education in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency. Classified as a Category C school with a school code 0010534, Kwabenya Community Senior High School is steadily climbing…
-
West African Senior High School (Campus, Courses, Uniform)
West African Senior High School, often called “WASS,” is a coeducational day and boarding institution located in the Adenta suburb of Accra. Classified as a Category B institution with a school code 0010502, West African Senior High School, WASS, maintains solid academic standing and infrastructure.