Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary: Difference between revisions

{{externalOverly linksdetailed|date=JulyMarch 20142024}}

| head_label = HeadmistressHeadmaster

The students of the school are usually referred to as ''Pojomma'' while the alumni are addressed as ''Pojoba'',<ref>{{cite news|title=CDS Donates 10000 cedis to alma mater|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=153334}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=KNUST branch of POJOBA donate to alma mater|url=http://www.modernghana.com/news/175245/1/knust-branch-of-pojoba-donate-computers-to-their-a.html|newspaper=Modern Ghana}}</ref> to which they respond ''Daasebre''. Since its establishment in 1958, the school has achieved many successes and has produced great men for [[Ghana]] and the world over. There are about 2100 boys in the school.

On 21 January 1958, St. John's Seminary and College officially opened with 45 students<ref>{{cite web |title=Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary: A legacy of excellence and faith in Eastern Region |url=https://ghanaremembers.com/stories/business/pope-john-senior-high-school-and-minor-seminary-a-legacy-of-excellence-and-faith-in-eastern-region.html |website=GhanaRemembers |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref>; 14 seminarians and 31-day students in two forms. One Ghanaian lay teacher, Mr. Paul Ohene-Boakye was employed to help the 3 SVD priests who had been appointed by the Bishop to teach and instruct the young boys in their academic work, moral and religious lives. In June 1958, electricity was extended to the school at the cost of 45 pounds. On 20 July 1961, the first Speech and Prize-Giving Day was held. The Guest Speaker was Rev. Maurice Lesage SVD. M.SC., then headmaster of [[St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School]] in Accra, and the distribution of prizes was done by Nana Frempong Mposo II, chief of Effiduase. The school's enrollment at this time was 23 Seminarians and 90- day students, totalingtotalling 113 students. Pius Kpeglo (now a catholic retired Monsignor), Senior Prefect of the seminary and school, was successful in his G.C.E. examinations, and left on Scholarship on 7 August 1961 to do Philosophy and Theology at the Diocesan Seminary in Regensburg, Germany.

In July 1992 the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Koforidua]] was erected, giving it autonomy from the now Metropolitan [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Archdiocese of Accra|first=Catholic|title=Accra Archdiocese History|url=http://accracatholic.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=16&Itemid=22}}</ref> Most. Rev. Dr. [[Charles G. Palmer-Buckle]] became the first bishop of the new diocese.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bishop Buckle|first=Former Bishop of Koforidua|title=Archbishop Buckle of Accra|url=http://cbcgha.org/cbc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=290:most-rev-charles-g-palmer-buckle&catid=41:bishops&Itemid=444}}</ref> The management of Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary thus became the responsibility of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Koforidua]] within the Ecclesiastical Province of Accra. Today, there is a professional teaching staff of 92 and a non-teaching staff of 85. There are over 2000 boarding students with a little under 100 seminarians. Pope John Secondary School now ranks as one of the best in Ghana, making its mark on all fronts; academics, sport, music, discipline, among others.

Christened the "Reflector", the school's uniform is a yellow shirt and blue pair of trousers or shorts which may be worn with the school's tie and blazer. The yellow shirt areis mostly worn over a pair of shorts. Only form 3 or final year students are allowed to wear a pair of trousers. Other uniforms include the school cloth and, the Friday African print wear (also known as 'African wear'), and house jerseys. House jerseys are worn for sports and every house has its own colorcolour.

Pope John Senior High School maintains a very strong Roman Catholic culture which underpins almost all activities. It is by convention that the appointment of the head of the school and key student leaders such as the senior prefect, student's chaplain and their assistants belong to the Catholic faith. Founders' Day [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] is celebrated annually all over the country and in the school. There are administrative student units independent of each other. These assist the school's administration in governing the student body and maintaining discipline. They are; The Students' Representative Council (SRC), The PrefectorialPrefectural Board, The Editorial Board, The Entertainment Board, The Chaplaincy Board and The School Cadet.

Academic activities of the school are structured into departments are headed by heads-of-department who are directly responsible to the assistant headmaster academics. They are theThe departments ofare General Science, General Arts, Business, and Visual Arts.

POJOSS follows the Ghanaian educational Senior High School curriculum,<ref>{{cite web|title=Education in Ghana|url=http://www.bibl.u-szeged.hu/oseas_adsec/ghana.htm}}</ref> operating in a three-year academic cycle, from form one to form three. Students are taught throughout the year, over a period of three academic terms. The first term of the academic year marks the enrollmentenrolment of form one students to the school while the third term marks the graduation of form three students. The programmes run by the school include [[General Science]], [[General Arts]], Business and Visual Arts. Form one applicants select four Elective courses. Unlike Elective courses, core courses are offered to all students, irrespective of their programmeprogram of study. The core courses in the school are: English languageLanguage, coreCore mathematicsMathematics, socialSocial studiesStudies, integratedIntegrated scienceScience, ICTInformation Communication Technology, and physicalPhysical educationEducation, however, students are only examined externally, in the first five aforementioned courses. There are subjects taught which are unique to the school because of its attachment to a seminary. They are Religion, [[Doctrine]] studiesStudies, [[Latin]] and Music.

Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary has an ultramodern Science laboratoryLaboratory, a state of the arts I.C.T. centerCentre, a library, a multipurpose athletic field, a basketball and volleyball court, among a host of others.

The school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA),<ref>{{cite web|title=PTA Hands over dormitory to school|url=http://www.modernghana.com/news/67520/1/pojoss-pta-hands-over-dormitory-to-school.html|publisher=Modern Ghana|date=28 November 2004}}</ref> the SRC, the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and the [[POJOBA]] have contributed to the development of these facilities in the school. The school's administration makes sure that these facilities are effectively used to enhance teaching and learning in the school.

[[File:SACRED HEART POJOSS.jpg|thumbnail|right|The Sacred Heart of Jesus monument]]Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary has a vibrant chaplaincy<ref>{{cite news|last=Final year students of Pope John|first=Pope John Chaplaincy Donations|title=Pope John Donations|url=http://gains.org.gh/partner-news/pope-john-students-donate-aids-centre|newspaper=Ghana News Agency (GNA)|date=5 April 2012}}</ref> headed by a chaplain who is appointed by the [[Archbishop of Accra]]. Among other things, the POJOSS chaplaincy is the headquarters for religious groups like the Catholic Students Union (CASU), [[Legion of Mary]], [[Eastern Region, Ghana|Eastern Region]] and the [[Sacred Heart]] Confraternity in the Eastern Region.

Each year on 21 AugustJanuary, a Holy Mass is held in memory of the founding fathers of the school. It is celebrated by the Alumni of the school at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra]], and by the students at school. [[Holy Mass]] precedes the celebrations and in Accra, is said by all alumni-priests of the school.

This event brings together all alumni of PojossPOJOSS at the school for fun games, socialising and networking. During this event, old boys deliver motivational talks to the students.<ref>{{cite web|title=POJOBA Homecoming Announcement|url=http://first-thoughts.org/on/Sacred+Heart+Church/|accessdate=3 January 2013}}</ref>

Also known in student circles as ''Tom Aqua'', it is organized by the chaplaincy of the school. It brings together all Catholic students within the [[Eastern Region, Ghana|Eastern Region]] to honor their [[patron saint]], [[St. Thomas Aquinas]] and discuss matters affecting them.<ref>{{cite web |date=9 February 2012 |title=Catholic students celebrate St Aquinas day |url=http://ghananewsagency.org/education/catholic-students-celebrate-st-aquinas-day-39071|title=Catholic students celebrate St Aquinas day|date=9 February 2012|work=ghananewsagencyGhanaNewsAgency.org}}</ref>

*Pope John Seminary (Pope johnJohn House)

*VALCO Soccer Tournament (1999) (Winner)<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 November 2001 |title=Soccer-Pope John's win southern sector VALCO tournament |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/Soccer-Pope-John-s-win-southern-sector-VALCO-tournament-6596 |title=Socceraccess-Popedate=11 John'sJanuary win2020 southern sector VALCO tournament|website=wwwGhanaWeb.ghanaweb.com|date=30 November 2001|language=en|access-date=11 January 2020}}</ref>

*Mr Emmanuel Agyepong (Received 3rd Prize for National Best Teacher Award 2001)<ref>{{cite web |title=GRi Education News Ghana 30 – 03 – 2001 |url=http://www.mclglobal.com/History/Mar2001/30c2001/30c1e.html|title=GRi Education News Ghana 30 – 03 – 2001|work=mclglobalMclglobal.com}}</ref>

*Most Reverend [[Charles G. Palmer-Buckle]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bpabu.html |title=Archbishop Gabriel Charles Palmer-Buckle [Catholic-Hierarchy] |websiteurl=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bpabu.html |access-date=11 January 2020 |website=catholic-hierarchy.}}</ref> (former chaplain and teacher)

Due to the large size of the school and student body, the administration has been decentralized to the students' level to ensure the maintenance of a high standard of discipline in the school. At the helm of student administration is the Students' Representative Council, headed by a President with two assistants who perform the role of Senior Prefects as well.<ref>{{cite book|last=Official Pope John School Mag|first=Magazine|title=Daasebre|year=2013|publisher=Paa-Wills Press|location=[[Koforidua]], Ghana|pages=100}}</ref>

POJOROSA is the acronym representing the alliance between Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary, and St. Roses Senior High School. This alliance has been made manifest in the marriages of alumni of the two schools. Teachers from St. Roses have taught in Pojoss and vice versa. Alumni from Pojoss have also returned the gesture and taught in St. Roses. Annual programmes organized by the two schools are often well attended by students of the schools as a gesture of the friendliness they bear toward each other. Apart from all these, Pope John and Saint Roses share the same heritage in their founding fathers, the [[Societas Verbi Divini|SVD]] missionaries.

* [[William Otoo Ellis]], former Vice Chancellor of [[KNUST]]<ref>{{cite web |author=University Relations Office |date=27 May 2013 |title=Half Term Report on the Stewardship of Professor William Otoo Ellis, Vice-Chancellor of KNUST |url=http://www.knust.edu.gh/news/news-items/half-term-report-on-the-stewardship-of-professor-william-otoo-ellis-vice-chancellor-of-knust |workaccessdate=Kwame6 NirumahDecember University2013 website| datework=27Kwame MayNkrumah 2013|accessdate=6university DecemberOf 2013Science and Technology}}</ref>