Prempeh College at 75: Defying gravity, challenging assumptions

By Appiah Kusi ADOMAKO (Esq)

This weekend marks 75 years since Prempeh College was founded. The 75th anniversary of Prempeh College is not a mere count of years gone by but a celebration that is a testament to a legacy of academic excellence, resilience, and visionary ambition.

Since its founding in 1949, Prempeh College has stood as a beacon of academic brilliance and moral integrity, shaping young men into leaders who defy odds and challenge norms.

From the North Pole to the South Pole, and from the East to the West, Prempeh College Old Boys Associations (Amafour) will gather to commemorate this landmark anniversary. His Excellency, the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo-Addo, and the Asantehene, His Royal Majesty Otumfour Osei Tutu, will honour the occasion with their presence.

A Legacy of Excellence and Heritage

Prempeh College was established through the collaborative effort between the Asanteman, the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches in Ghana, and the British colonial government. Named after Asantehene Otumfuo Nana Sir Agyeman Prempeh I, the school sits in the heart of Garden City, on the beautiful Sofoline landscape in Kumasi. Its distinctive green symbolizes both vitality and peace—a harmony that has shaped the school’s philosophy for decades.

The mission to cultivate young men who are academically sharp, morally upright, and socially responsible has produced countless graduates who have made significant contributions to Ghana and beyond.

From Kumasi to Kyoto, Accra to Atlanta, Walewale to Wall Street, and Sunyani to Silicon Valley, Prempeh College Old Boys include distinguished professionals, scientists, public servants, and entrepreneurs who continue to elevate the school’s reputation worldwide.

I fondly recall, when we joined the school in 1993, our headmaster urged us to let the school “pass through” us, rather than merely passing through it. Those who chose the former went on to embody the school’s motto: Suban ne Nimde?—Character and Integrity. Our then Headmaster R.T Sackey was a strict disciplinarian. Though we spent less than three years at the school, but the school shaped us for good. It was really a watershed moment for many of us.

Academic Excellence: Defying Gravity

For 75 years, Prempeh College has stood at the forefront of Ghanaian education, excelling in academics, athletics, science, technology, and even politics. Prempeh has produced more scientists and engineers for Ghana than any other high school, a fact highlighted by the prestigious rankings at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where Prempeh College freshmen consistently stand out. Since the inception of the National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ) in 1994, Prempeh was the first school to win the trophy in 1994.

For nearly three decades Prempeh College and PRESEC have dominated the NMSQ trophies. Wherever Prempeh College goes, it becomes like  Julius Caeser’s “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

When it comes to robotics, Prempeh College is not in a domestic league with any school in the country, but rather the school competes on the international stage and wins gold all the time. This year, the school won the Global title of the World Robotics Olympiad, Unkown Mission Challenge (UMC) 2024 in the USA.

Prempeh College is the first secondary institution in Ghana and Africa to win the World Robofest 2016 beating China, Japan, and other G7 Countries.

Prempeh College’s achievements reflect its commitment to intellectual rigor and high standards, proving that academic excellence is both an art and a science to be continually perfected.

Athletics and Beyond: Challenging Assumptions

Prempeh College is formidable not only in academics but also in sports and extracurricular activities. The school has won multiple national athletic championships, embodying its philosophy that education extends beyond the classroom.

By developing young men who are physically, mentally, and socially capable, Prempeh challenges conventional notions of what it means to be a top-tier school. Prempeh College demonstrates that the intellectual can also be athletic, the diligent can be daring, and the scholarly can be spirited.

A Diamond Jubilee with Purpose

The theme of the 75th Anniversary, “Celebrating 75 Years of Outstanding Leadership and Service to Society,” encapsulates both the past achievements and future aspirations of Prempeh College.

The school is dedicated to ongoing progress, investing in teaching resources and infrastructure to prepare its students for the challenges of the next century.  Old students are leading the way in expanding infrastructure at the school.  If you’re searching for the next global innovator or future President of Ghana, you’ll likely find them at Prempeh College.

Continuing the Legacy

The legacy of the Founding Fathers lives on, supported by the vision and hard work of headmasters from Rev. S. N. Pearson (1949-53) to Rev. Lewis Asare, whose stewardship has fortified the school’s success and sustainability. The Founding Fathers would be proud to see that the school they established has grown into a “City on a Hill,” inspiring generations.

They would be happy to see the school dominating the national headlines. They would be happy to see that the School has produced His Excellency John Agyekum Kuffour, Honourable Dr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, Dr. Kwabena Duffour, Prof Otchere Addai-Mensah and other numerous distinguished alumni.

From its modest beginnings in 1949 to its status as a leading institution, Prempeh College stands strong, ever-ready to elevate its legacy of defiance of expectation, excellence, and dynamism.

For more than 75 years, Prempeh College’s lamp of academic excellence has never dimmed, nor has its commitment to character faltered. Like an eternal flame shining through the ever-changing tides of time, Prempeh College will continue to lead, set standards, and stand as the SI Unit of academic excellence, integrity, and leadership. The school lives by the Latin maxim, non scholae sed vitae—not for school, but for life.

The writer is an old student from Prempeh College (Guggisberg House, 1995)

 

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