A 17- member planning committee for the 150th anniversary celebration of Mfantsipim School in 2026 has been inaugurated with a call on stakeholders to appreciate the founding fathers whose commitment has lifted the school to its current status.

The Committee which has Mr. Magnus Rex Danquah as its Chairman will oversee the needs assessment, programme development, compliance and the oversight of all activities in relation to the celebrations in general.

The theme of the celebration is “Mfantsipim and the Making of Ghana”.

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mr. Ebo Barton-Odro, who inaugurated the committee, paid a tribute to the founding fathers and old students for their immense contributions towards the development of the school.

He said the idea of establishing a collegiate school to raise educational standards in the Gold Coast was first raised for discussion in 1865 but lingered on until 1876 when the Wesleyan High School (Mfantsipim) was established as the first boys’ secondary school with the intent of training teachers.

Mr. Barton-Odro said the school has over the years trained an uncountable number of distinguished personalities including the sitting Vice President of Ghana, Kwesi bEKOE Amissah-Arthur, Mr. Kofi Annan former UN Secretary-General, Dr Mohammed Ahmed Ibn Chambers, special representative of UN Secretary-General and Dr Abrefa Busia former Prime Minister of the Republic of Ghana, who had contributed in diverse ways to the development of the nation and the world at large.

The First Deputy Speaker described the school as one of the institutions with high standards of morals in its student body and tasked the school authorities to maintain the standards that were set by the founding fathers.

He tasked the committee members to perform their duties with effective and strategic planning, dedication and commitment, this he noted will enable them to organise a world-class event that would make every one proud.

“I believe that is the moment in the history of our school where people from all walks of life will be trooping in to see what Mfantsipim has got to show and so we cannot afford to lose the hard-won reputation gained by our predecessors

The mantel has now been bestowed on us to show the rest of the world what we have got and all hands to be on deck be it student, members of staff, parents or alumni for the celebration to be a success” he added.

Mr. Rex Danquah, who is also a Board Member of the school, commended the board for the confidence reposed in them and stated that they would meet the deadline of presenting a report to the board in two months.

He said within 10 years the committee is determined to fundraise for various development projects in the school and mentioned some of the projects as, the expansion of classrooms, school dispensary into a mini clinic, provision of computers and books to the school library as well as a biogas plant which will be linked to all structures in the schools particularly the kitchen and dining hall.

Mr. Rex Danquah explained that the committee was using 13 years to plan for the celebration in 2026 so that it will have enough time to come out with projects and programmes that will restore the school to its former glory.

The Committee chairman said each year the committee would take a specific profession such as Governance & Public Service; Education; Science, Technology & Innovation; Business Leadership & Entrepreneurship; Sustainable Development, Chieftaincy & Religious Affairs; and Media, Music, Sports & Arts among others and analyze how Mfantsipim School had contributed to the development and growth of such areas of endeavour to the development of the country.

He said the school was originally built to accommodate about 400 students and staff but has a total population of more than 2,000 and the government alone could no longer meet the demands, it was therefore imperative for the old students to supplement government efforts.

The Headmaster of the School Mr. John Ankomah Simpson commended the committee members and said like the motto of the school “Dwen Hwe Kan“ which literary means to think ahead.

He said the early start of the programme will enable the school to adequately plan for a successful 150th anniversary in 2026 and pledged to the committee members the school’s support.

In a related development the 1989 MOBA year group presented a cheque of 25,000 Ghana Cedis towards the expansion of the school’s dispensary.

Old students of the school currently pursuing various courses in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) also submitted a design concept for the Mfantsipim School entrance to the Board.

Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Paramount Chief of Essikado Traditional Area, who is also an old boy, donated three copies of a book he had authored, entitled “African Culture in Governance and Development, the Ghana Paradigm”.