Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary (POJOSS), formerly St. John's Seminary and College, is a Catholic all-boys day-boarding school located in Effiduase, Koforidua, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Established in 1958 by Bishop Joseph Oliver Bowers of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), the school was originally founded as a seminary for boys aspiring to become priests, primarily for those interested in the Catholic priesthood.
The school offers programs in general arts, general science, business, and visual arts. Its aim is to prepare students to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions in Ghana. The student body comprises approximately 2,100 boys, who are colloquially referred to as "Pojomma", while alumni are known as "Pojoba", with the response "Daasebre" serving as a cultural identifier among them.
On 8 November 1953, Bishop Joseph Oliver Bowers, then Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Accra, visited the New Juaben Traditional Area in Ghana's Eastern Region on a pastoral mission. During this visit, he held discussions with Nana Frempong Moposo II, the local chief, which led to the acquisition of land at Effiduase, Koforidua, for a Roman Catholic Church mission.
In early 1955, Bishop Bowers initiated plans to establish a junior seminary on the acquired land for the Diocese of Accra. Father Anthony Bauer and Father Henk Janseen surveyed the site, and their reports supported the development. Construction began in January 1955, with Fr. Jude SVD, Dr. Balduricus, and Dr. Lucian Orians overseeing the building of a classroom block, a combined residence, and administrative facility. In early 1957, Dr. Damian Brockmann, SVD, constructed the first science block, later replaced by a dormitory known as Elsbend House, named after the first headmaster.
In October 1957, Bishop Bowers appointed Rev. Fr. Alphonse Elsbend as the first Headmaster and Seminary Rector, supported by Rev. John O'Sullivan, Rev. Joseph Skorupka, and Bismark Sosu. The school's chapel was completed in 1958.[1]
Opening
On 21 January 1958, St. John's Seminary and College officially opened with an initial enrollment of 45 students, comprising 14 seminarians and 31 day students across two forms. The initital teaching staff comprised included three SVD priests appointed by the bishop and one Ghanaian lay teacher, Mr. Paul Ohene-Boakye, who supported in the students' academic, and religious formation.
In June 1958, electricity was extended to the school at a cost of £45. By this time, the school's enrollment had grown to 113 students, including 23 seminarians and 90 day students.
Pius Kpeglo, the Senior Prefect of the seminary and school, successfully completed his G.C.E. examinations and was awarded a scholarship to study philosophy and theology at the Diocesan Seminary in Regensburg, Germany, departing on 7 August 1961.
Change of Name and Absorption Into the Public Education System
From 1958 to 1968, St. John's College operated as a private Catholic institution funded by the Catholic Diocese of Accra and student fees. However, the high cost of maintaining the school led Father Fredrichs, the second Headmaster, with the approval of Bishop Joseph Oliver Bowers, to apply for the school's incorporation into Ghana's Public Education System under the Ministry of Education.
On 1 September 1968, the school was absorbed into the Ghana Education Service as a government-assisted secondary school. The name was changed to Pope John Secondary School and Junior Seminary to distinguish it from other Catholic schools in Ghana named St. John. The new name honored Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, while preserving the identity and mission of the original institution.
Following the 2007 Ghana education reform under the administration of President John Kufuor, the school was renamed Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary.
Pope John XXIII
Growth and development
The foundation laid by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) Fathers under the supervision of Bishop Joseph Oliver Bowers has contributed to the development of Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary. In July 1992, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Koforidua was established, gaining autonomy from the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra. The Most Rev. Dr. Charles G. Palmer-Buckle became the first bishop of the new diocese, which assumed responsibility for managing the school within the Ecclesiastical Province of Accra.
The school has a teaching staff of 92 and a non-teaching staff of 85. It accommodates over 2,000 boarding students, including nearly 100 seminarians. Since its establishment, approximately 8,000 students have graduated, with over 100 alumni ordained as Catholic priests.[citation needed]
Academic performance
Pope John wins National Independence Day Debate 2000. Team members include renowned Ghanaian journalist Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, second from left.2013 National Independence Day Debate Victory
In 2012, the school placed 9th on the WASSCE order of merit (Education in Koforidua) and POJOSS has emerged victorious in many inter-school academic competitions.[3][dead link]
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