Ofori Panin Senior High School
Ofori Panin Senior High School (OPASS) is a co-educational second cycle institution in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Ofori Panin School (formerly Tafo-Kukurantumi Senior High school, now nicknamed OPASS), is a co-educational boarding school located at Tafo in Akyem, Eastern Region, Ghana. The school was founded in 1961 by Kwame Nkrumah. The foundation stone of the building was laid on 19 May 1962 by Hon. Kofi Asante Ofori Attah, M.P. for Akim Abuakwa and Minister of Justice at that time. An alumnus/alumna of Ofori Panin is known as an "Opassian".
| Ofori Panin Senior High School | |
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| Address | |
P. O. Box 11 Tafo -Kukurantumi. Tafo , Ghana 00233 | |
| Coordinates | 05°37′38″N 00°12′49″W |
| Information | |
| School type | High School Co-educational Boarding / Residential |
| Motto | Dwen na Som (Think and Serve) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Non-denominational Christian |
| Established | 22 September 1961 |
| Opened | 1962 |
| Founder | Kwame Nkrumah |
| Status | Active |
| School board | Board of Governors |
| School district | East Akim Municipal District |
| Oversight | Ghana Education Service |
| Authorizer | Ministry of Education |
| Chairperson | Prince Kofi Amoabeng, Chairperson of Board of Governors |
| Headteacher | Mr John Biantey |
| Chaplain | Rev. Eric Aforo . |
| Grades | Forms 1–3 (10th – 12th grades) |
| Gender | Co-ed (Boys/Girls) |
| Age range | 14 to 19 years |
| Enrollment | c. 2000 |
| Education system | Senior High School |
| Classes offered | Visual Arts, Home Economics, Science, General Arts |
| Language | English |
| Campus | Ofori Panin School |
| Campus type | Residential garden-style Setting |
| Houses | 8 |
| School colour(s) | Blue and White |
| Song | OPASS, Our Alma Mater |
| Nickname | OPASS |
| Publication | Mpaninfoɔ |
| Alumni | OPASS Alumni Association |
| Website | www.oforipaninshs.com |
The motto of the school is "Dwen Na Som" meaning "Think and Serve", a reference to the founders' expressed philosophy that starting in the context of school life, male and female, everyone should serve with a thoughtful mind and be ready and willing to serve yourself, your school, family, nation and the world at large. The school crest was designed using the leopard and other items. The leopard signifies strength and intelligence, a torch, which shows light and brightness on the path to victory, a cutlass that represents the farming community of Akim Abuakwa, a tree signifying the rain forest of Akyem Abuakwa which provides fertile land for the production of timber and cocoa, the backbone of Ghana's economy.
History
The school was established on 22 September 1961 by Ghana's first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Principals and heads
| Name | Tenure of office |
|---|---|
| Mr. K. Adwedaa, B. Sc. | 1961–1963 |
| Mr. S. T. Ampofo, B. A. (Hons) | 1963–1976 |
| Mr. E. Twum-Danso, B.A. Legon (Acting) | 1976–1977 |
| Mr. G. A. Gyimah, B.A. Legon | 1977–1991 |
| Mr. K. Amo-Dako, B.A. Ed. | 1991–2003 |
| Mr. K. Kyei-Brobbey, B Sc. (Hons) Dip (Agric), Dip. Ed. | 2003–2012 |
| Rev. Kent Badu | 2012–2014 |
| Dr. Edmund K. Fianu Dip. ED., BA(Hons), M.A DT. | 2014–2017 |
| Mr. John Biantey | 2018- |
Notable Alumni
- Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, microbiologist and professor at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research at the University of Ghana.
- Justice Julius Ansah, Supreme Court judge
- Patrick Darko Missah, Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service
- Kwakye Darfour, Ghanaian politician and a member of the New Patriotic Party in Ghana
- Xbills Ebenezer, music video director, and filmmaker
- Dr. Nathaniel Taylor, Computer Scientist,United States Navy
References
- http://www.ghananewsagency.org/education/ofori-panin-shs-inducts-headmaster-82366
- http://www.oforipaninshs.com/
- http://www.opassians.org/History.html