Ghana Senior High School, commonly referred to as GHANASS, is a coeducational boarding and day institution situated in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Established to provide a balanced combination of academic and technical education, GHANASS has grown into one of the region’s most respected second-cycle schools.
The school’s emphasis on character formation, intellectual rigour, and practical skills has earned it a reputation for producing graduates who excel in diverse fields. It was preceded by the establishment of two colleges that ultimately combined into what is currently known as The Beacon of the East
History
GHANASS was founded in 1972 by the Ghana Education Service in partnership with community leaders who recognised the need for a comprehensive senior high school in the district. Beginning with just over one hundred students and a small teaching staff, the school initially offered only core academic subjects.
Over the first decade, technical workshops for woodwork, metalwork, and technical drawing were added, reflecting national priorities in vocational training. Subsequent administrations expanded boarding facilities, built new classroom blocks, and introduced specialised science laboratories, establishing GHANASS as both an academic and technical hub.
Location
Ghana Senior High School, GHANASS, is located at Koforidua in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Its campus sits atop gently rolling terrain, offering cool breezes and expansive views of the surrounding fields.
The location balances peaceful rural surroundings with proximity to urban amenities.
Population
As of the 2024–2025 academic year, GHANASS enrols about 3,800 students, with a nearly even split between male and female learners. A teaching staff of 145—comprising subject specialists and technical instructors—yields an average student-to-teacher ratio of 19 to 1.
Boarding students account for roughly two-thirds of the population, while the remainder commute daily from Tamale and nearby towns. The school draws learners from across the Northern, Savannah, and North East regions, creating a culturally diverse student body.
Campus
GHANASS’s campus blends historic buildings from the 1970s with modern facilities. The administrative block houses the headmaster’s office, staff rooms, and conference areas.
Two main classroom wings accommodate general subjects, while a separate science complex contains well-equipped laboratories for physics, chemistry, and biology.
The technical workshops feature machinery and tools for woodwork, metalwork, electrical installation, and technical drawing.
An ICT centre with internet-connected computers supports both research and vocational software training.
Outdoor spaces include a full-sized football pitch, courts for basketball and volleyball, and a multipurpose assembly ground framed by shade trees.
Extracurricular activities
Students engage in a wide variety of clubs and societies that promote leadership and creativity. The debate and public speaking club competes in regional tournaments, while the drama troupe stages an annual production on social themes.
Sporting opportunities are extensive, with competitive teams in football, athletics, hockey, and handball. The robotics and engineering club showcases student-built projects at local fairs, and the science and mathematics club hosts regular quizzes and workshops.
Service-oriented groups such as the Red Cross Society and the Environmental Conservation Club organize blood drives, tree-planting campaigns, and health outreach in neighbouring communities.
Boarding houses
GHANASS maintains six boarding houses—three for boys and three for girls—each named after significant local waterways. Each house is supervised by a housemaster or housemistress, supported by matrons and senior prefects.
Dormitories accommodate between 200 and 250 students, with shared study areas facilitating evening revision. House routines include structured study times, morning devotion, and weekly welfare meetings. Inter-house competitions in sports, quizzes, and cultural displays foster teamwork, healthy rivalry, and a strong sense of belonging.
School uniform
The GHANASS uniform underscores unity and discipline. Students wear a white short-sleeved shirt with the school crest on the pocket. Boys pair this with dark green trousers, while girls wear a dark green skirt that falls below the knee.
On formal occasions such as speech days, students add a green tie bearing the school emblem. Plain black leather shoes and dark green socks complete the attire. Physical education days call for a white polo shirt trimmed in green and matching sports shorts. Strict rules on grooming, including neat hairstyles and polished footwear, reinforce the school’s values.
Courses offered
Following the national curriculum for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, GHANASS offers six main tracks: General Science, General Arts, Business, Technical, Home Economics, and Visual Arts. The General Science stream includes physics, chemistry, biology, elective mathematics, and computer science.
Arts students study literature in English, history, government, economics, and geography. The Business track covers accounting, economics, business management, and elective mathematics. Technical studies include courses in electrical installation, metalwork, woodwork, and technical drawing.
Home Economics pupils learn food and nutrition, clothing and textiles, and management in living. The Visual Arts program provides instruction in graphic design, sculpture, painting, and art history. All students also take core subjects such as English language, core mathematics, and religious and moral education.
Other relevant information
GHANASS places strong emphasis on student welfare and community engagement. An on-site health clinic, staffed by a nurse, attends to minor ailments and first aid. The guidance and counselling unit offers personal, academic, and career support.
A student-run canteen provides affordable meals and snacks. The school’s alumni association actively funds scholarships, infrastructure projects, and mentorship programs. Annual events—such as Founders’ Day and Speech and Prize-Giving Day—celebrate achievements and reinforce the school’s heritage.
Ranking
When assessing Ghana Senior High School, key factors include the quality of tuition, which is evidenced by steadily improving WASSCE results and high pass rates across disciplines. The facilities, from modern laboratories to technical workshops and sports fields, rank above average among regional schools. Extracurricular achievements—in debates, robotics competitions, and sports tournaments—highlight a balanced, vibrant student life.
While there is no formal international ranking for Ghanaian second-cycle schools, GHANASS’s reputation extends through regional student exchanges and alumni in professional networks.
Ghana Senior High School, GHANASS, is a category A senior high school in Ghana.
Taken together, these factors position Ghana Senior High School as one of the leading mixed-sex technical and general education institutions in the Northern Region, with a strong foundation for future growth.
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