Assin Adubiase Methodist Basic School Celebrates 120 Years of Educational Excellence

In a small town in Ghana’s Central Region, a school that began with eight pupils and a wooden block building has reached a milestone that few institutions anywhere can claim. Assin Adubiase Methodist Basic School celebrated its 120th anniversary on May 28, 2026, drawing students, alumni, traditional leaders, education professionals, and clergy from across the region to honour a legacy that stretches back to the colonial era.

The celebration, held under the theme “Celebrating 120 Years of Excellence, Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future,” was more than a ceremonial occasion. It was a reckoning with the role that community-driven education has played in shaping Ghana’s intellectual and political landscape—and a reminder of how far the country’s schools still have to go.

From Eight Pupils to a National Legacy

The school’s origins date to 1906, when Rev. S.D. Kodsi, a Methodist Circuit Minister, joined forces with seven community leaders—Kwamin Asseku, Ekua Dyiaa, Kojoe Nyimpa Enlwi, Kwamin Kurankyi, Kobina Amankrah, Kojoe Eyirfa, and Kwesi Amankrah—to establish a formal school in Adubiase. Classes were held in a modest structure built from wooden blocks, serving just eight children from the surrounding community.

The school’s early significance was cemented in 1922 when Sir Gordon Guggisberg, then Governor of the Gold Coast, visited Adubiase to inspect the newly constructed Fosu railway line and paid an official visit to the school. The visit provided recognition that boosted the institution’s profile across the colony. Guggisberg returned in 1924, recorded a message in the school’s logbook, presented his photograph as a lasting memorial, and donated a foot organ and a school bell that became enduring symbols of the school’s growth.

Historical records indicate that Adubiase Methodist School was the second school established in the then Central Province. It was officially registered under the Ghana Education Service in 1958 and has since served Adubiase and surrounding communities without interruption.

Distinguished Alumni

The school’s 120-year history has produced an alumni roster that reads like a cross-section of Ghana’s public life. Among the most prominent figures are the late Justice Samuel Kofi Marful-Sau of the Supreme Court of Ghana; Yaw Osafo-Maafo, who served as Senior Minister of the Republic; Kwaku Baako Jnr., the veteran journalist and Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide; and Prof. Dominic Fobih, a former Minister of Education and Member of Parliament.

Other notable alumni include Lawyer William Orleans Oduro, James Kwame Boadi of the Ghana Immigration Service, and Samuel Asare, a Senior Research Manager at Education Sub-Saharan Africa and an Associate Member of the Research for Equitable Access and Learning Centre at the University of Cambridge. The school has also produced numerous professionals, educators, public servants, entrepreneurs, and clergy whose contributions have shaped communities across Ghana and beyond.

The District Science and Maths Quiz recently sparked STEM interest among Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa pupils, a neighbouring district, demonstrating the broader appetite for educational excellence across the Central Region. Similarly, the Assin Fosu MOFA’s Feed Ghana School Project has brought agricultural training to schools in the same municipality, reflecting a wider effort to equip young people with practical skills alongside academic learning.

Honouring the Present, Building the Future

The anniversary ceremony was chaired by Nana Kwaku Apotoe III, Chief of Assin Nyankomase, with Nana Kwasama Ababio delivering the keynote address. Among the dignitaries present were Rt. Rev. Dr. Supt. Anthony Brown (Rtd.), Bishop of the Foso Diocese; Dr. Anthony Barbayir of Foso College of Education; and Hon. John Ntim Fordjour, the former Deputy of Education and current Member of Parliament for Assin South.

Several individuals were recognised for their contributions to the school’s development, including Mr. Stephen Amoako Okyere, Miss Doris Coleman Quainco, and Nii Nmai Dsane, CEO of Q-Advise Group. Headmistress Millicent Antwi used the occasion to express gratitude to alumni and community partners while calling for continued investment in education.

The celebration featured cultural performances, historical reflections, and speeches from dignitaries. But beneath the festivities lay a serious message: that community-founded schools like Adubiase Methodist remain the backbone of Ghana’s education system, and their continued vitality depends on the sustained commitment of the communities and alumni networks that built them.

As school leaders outlined plans to enhance facilities and expand access to modern learning resources, the 120th anniversary served as both a celebration of what has been achieved and a call to action for what remains to be done. In a country where educational access and quality remain pressing challenges, the story of a school that has endured for over a century offers both inspiration and a model for what community dedication can accomplish.

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