The academy's motto is "Esse Quam Videri," which means "To be, rather than to seem."
Founding and Early Years
The school was founded on Monday, 20th July 1931 by Dr. Kofi George Konuah, Samuel Neils Awuletey, Gottfried Narku Alema and James Akwei Halm-Addo at Mantse Agbonaa, a suburb of James Town in Accra. They founded the academy with an initial capital pooled from their individual contributions. Their aim of founding the academy was to provide access to education for students who could not enroll at the limited existing schools due to financial constraints.The academy began work with a student enrolment of 19, distributed into forms one to three including A.K. Konuah(Second Headmaster of the school), R.Q.E. Blankson (later Town Engineer, Accra Municipal Council), C.S. Dua, Addo-Yobo and J.K.
The original teaching staff consisted of the four founders, and two other staff: S.S. Sackey and M. F. Dei-Anang.
The academy's founders operated the school from a one-storey house that provided classrooms for the students. The facility was named Ellen House after its leaser, Ellen Buckle. Ellen was the widow of Vidal J. Buckle, a lawyer and Gold Coast elite, who built the property. Claremont House was also owned by Mrs.
In December 1932, the academy presented its first batch of ten students for the Junior Cambridge School Certificate Examination, seven out of whom passed the examination.
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Relocation and Expansion
Due to a steady increase in the number of applicants applying for enrolment in the academy, the academy's administrators began preparations to relocate the academy to a larger and permanent site.
The initial site acquired to relocate the school was situated at Kokomlemle; however, this site had to be abandoned as a result of a prolonged litigation concerning the ownership of the land. A second site, which was located at Korle Gonno, was also given up because of its remote location.
The search for a new school site ended in 1956 when J. A. Halm-Addo was very instrumental in acquiring a thirty-seven acre plot at Bubuashie, off Winneba Road, by the CPP government.
The contract for the construction of permanent buildings on the new site was awarded to J. Monta & Sons in October, 1959. Actual work on the site began in December, 1959, and in July 1961, the thirtieth anniversary to mark the founding of the school, the contractors handed over the completed buildings to the school.
In September 1961, the academy relocated from Ellen House to the present site at Bubuashie, funded by the CPP government. A ceremony to officially open up the new buildings was held on 3 February 1962 and A. J. Dowuona-Hammond, then Minister of Education, was present.
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A dormitory block to provide boarding facilities was completed in 1966. By 1965, the student enrolment had risen to nearly 600, one third of whom continued to be day students.
A sixth Form department was added to help the products of the school who qualify to gain ready admission into this sector. The courses offered initially were the Arts and Science.
Accra Academy School marks 90th anniversary
Anniversaries and Key Milestones
In 1981, the academy celebrated its golden jubilee with a student enrolment of 900 and a teaching staff of 52. This anniversary birthed the School Song and School Anthem which solidified the academy’s identity.
Historian Robert Addo-Fening, as part of celebrations, of the golden jubilee documented the early history of the Accra Academy for publishing as a Golden Jubilee Brochure.
In 2001, Accra Academy celebrated its 70th Anniversary. This milestone was marked by a series of events including the first homecoming reunion of the 21st century, a float to Ellen House, a Founders’ Day durbar, and a grand Speech and Prize-Giving Day graced by President John Agyekum Kufuor.
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The anniversary also saw the introduction of the school’s Hall of Fame and the establishment of the K. G. Konuah and J. A.
Academic Performance and Curriculum
Being a senior high school for boys, the academy offers admission to boys only. Gaining entry into the academy is competitive, and open to students who have completed Junior high school.
The programmes run in the academy are: general arts, general science, agriculture, business and visual arts. As part of their computerized school selection and placement system registration, final year junior high school applicants select four elective courses.
The academy's curriculum like that of other senior high schools in Ghana, operates in a three-year academic cycle, from form one to form three.
The academy maintains a high academic standard and has over the years been ranked among the best performing senior high schools in Ghana.
In 2018, 676 students of the school sat the WASSCE. 640 students of this number passed in all 8 courses taken (i.e. obtained grades between A1 to C6). This represented a percentage pass of 94.7% and percentage of students of qualified academic enrolment status into a university programme in Ghana.
In 2020, 672 students of the school sat the WASSCE. 633 students of this number had passes in 6 courses (i.e. 4 core courses and 2 elective courses).
In 2017, Tullow Ghana completed a refurbishment of the school's science laboratory block.
Accra Academy was ranked 8th out of the top 100 high schools in Africa by Africa Almanac in 2003, based upon quality of education, student engagement, strength and activities of alumni, school profile, internet and news visibility.
WASSCE Results Overview
| Year | Students Sat for WASSCE | Passed in All Courses | Passed in 6 Courses | Percentage Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 676 | 640 | N/A | 94.7% |
| 2020 | 672 | N/A | 633 | N/A |
Halls of Residence
The academy has eight halls of residence. The first four of these halls were inaugurated as part of the school's 1967 Annual Speech and Prize Giving Day activities. Among the four, three were later renamed after founding fathers of the school, with the exception of Kofi Konuah, while the fourth is named after Mrs.
The academy maintains strict rules on discipline. A student undertaking a mild punishment is asked to carry out cleaning, scrubbing, sweeping, weeding or disposing of refuse.
Sports and Extracurricular Activities
As early as 1934, the academy's administrators hired a sports-master to organize the sporting activities of the academy. Students were trained in athletics, soccer, and hockey.
Annual Events
The academy's administrators and alumni association organize annual events for the students and alumni of the school, including a speech and prize-giving day ceremony, a memorial lecture and a Home-coming Reunion. The annual speech and prize-giving day ceremony award the school's best performing students.
Occasionally retired as well as active teachers and staff of the academy are awarded for their contributions to the school. The Konuah-Halm-Addo-Awuletey-Alema Memorial Lectures (formerly Accra Academy Foundation Lectures) was instituted in 1991 by Vincent Freeman, then academy headmaster, as part of the school's 60th anniversary celebrations.
Home-coming reunions are usually organised as part of the academy's anniversary celebrations.
The association has a governing body consisting of: a president, secretary, treasurer and a public relations officer elected at an annual general meeting for a fixed tenure of office. They form the executive committee of the association and have the responsibility of planning and executing all programmes or events that are organised by the association.
The association is operated from a national secretariat, which doubles as the association's headquarters in Accra. It is located on the premises of the school and is responsible for coordinating the activities of all year groups and regional secretariats of the association.
Notable Alumni
The school has graduated many notable alumni, including a member of the big six, a head of state, and a deputy head of state. 3 speakers of parliament attended the school, as well as 2 Chief Justices of Ghana. Thus, all three arms of government (executive, legislature and judiciary) have been led by the school's alumni.
All three service branches of the Ghana Armed Forces (army, navy and air force) have also been led by alumni. A former fourth service branch of the Ghana Armed Forces (border guards), during its brief existence, was also led by an alumni.
In the field of politics, Ghana's second head of government, J. A. Ankrah, and his deputy, J. W. K. Harlley were old boys. Ako Adjei, named amongst the big six, attended the school.
The school has educated 3 speakers of parliament: Daniel Francis Annan, Peter Ala Adjetey, and Edward Doe Adjaho.
Henry P. Nyemitei was general secretary of the Convention People's Party (CPP) during the first general election held in 1951. A decade after, in 1961, H. H. Cofie Crabbe run the erstwhile CPP's headquarters as executive secretary. 3 successive chairmen of the New Patriotic Party have been old boys (Peter Ala Adjetey, Samuel Odoi-Sykes, Harona Esseku).
Harry Sawyerr, the only minister of the Third Republic to have again served as a minister in the Fourth Republic, is an alumnus.
In law, Accra Academy alumni include Ghanaian Chief Justices Samuel Azu Crabbe, and Fred Apaloo, and acting Chief Justices; G. C. Mills-Odoi, N. Y. B. Adade, and Jones Dotse. In all, nine (9) Supreme Court Justices have been educated at the school, including Justice Samuel Adibu Asiedu, an active justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
Attorneys-General who attended the school include the first Ghanaian Attorney General of Ghana, George Mills-Odoi; the first female Attorney General of Ghana, Betty Mould-Iddrisu; Nicholas Yaw Boafo Adade; and Gustav Koranteng-Addow. Prior to the merger of the post of Minister of Justice with that of Attorney-General, Ako Adjei was Ghana's first Minister of Justice.
Peter Ala Adjetey is a former president of the Ghana Bar Association.
In public service, Joseph Odunton was the first black African to hold an appointment at Buckingham Palace. Nathan Quao, Gilbert Boahene and Ben Eghan have been Secretary to the Cabinet. Robert Dodoo, a former Head of the Civil Service, attended the school.
Edward Quist-Arcton was the first Ghanaian forestry head; Harry Dodoo was the first Ghanaian to lead the Ghana Cocoa Board; E. N. Omaboe was the first Ghanaian to be Government Statistician.
V. C. R. A. C. Crabbe established the first Electoral Commission, and J. W. K.
Four(4) alumni have been Chiefs of Army Staff of the Ghana Army; this includes the first Ghanaian to take up the role, Joseph Arthur Ankrah, who later served as Chief of Defence Staff. The others are Neville Alexander Odartey-Wellington, W. W. Bruce-Konuah and Joseph Narh Adinkrah.
The first Ghanaian appointed Chief of Naval Staff, David Hansen, is an old boy, and former Chief of Air Staff, Frederick Asare Bekoe, is an old boy.
The first black African Rhodes Scholar, Lebrecht Wilhem Fifi Hesse, was educated at the school. Frank Gibbs Torto FGA, a chemist, was the first Ghanaian academic staff member of the University of Ghana (the oldest university in Ghana); and Kwadzo Senanu was acting vice-chancellor of University of Ghana for the 1983/84 academic year.
Daniel Wubah is the first African president of Millersville University of Pennsylvania.
Scholars educated include plant pathologist Edwin Asomaning FGA, surgeon Emmanuel Archampong FGA, soil scientist David Acquaye FGA, jurist Fred Apaloo FGA, jurist V.C.R.A.C.
In medicine, alumni include the first Ghanaian neurosurgeon, J. F. O. Mustaffah; the first Ghanaian eye specialist, Cornelius Odarquaye Quarcoopome; and Jacob Amekor Blukoo-Allotey, who is known for his pioneering role in the study of pharmacology in Ghana.
Cornelius Odarquaye Quarcoopome and Jacob Plange-Rhule were both once presidents of the Ghana Medical Association.
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