About Mfantsipim Senior High School

Mfantsipim School is an all-boys boarding secondary school in Cape Coast, Ghana, established by the Methodist Church in 1876 to foster intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth on the then Gold Coast. Its founding name was Wesleyan High School and the first headmaster was James Picot, a French scholar, who was only 18 years old on his appointment. Mfantsipim is nicknamed The School because it gave birth to other prominent schools such as Prempeh College.[At its Synod in 1870, the Methodist Church in Ghana decided to establish an all-boys secondary school, dedicated to fostering intellectual, moral and spiritual growth. Accordingly, on Monday 3rd April 1876, the Wesleyan High School (now Mfantsipim) started operating in Cape Coast as the first Methodist Secondary School and also the first-second cycle in the then Gold Coast. The school started with 17 students and James Picot, who was only 18 as the first Headmaster. Ten foundation students present at the inauguration of the school were: John Mensah Sarbah, George Grant, Henry Van Hein, William Fynn Penny (later Rev. Fynn Egyir Asaam), William Fynn, Robert J. Hayfron, Benjamin Pine Wood, Samuel C. Crankson, Brodie Arthur and John James Clement. The school changed names several times before John Mensah-Sarbah, one of the pioneer students who had become an accomplished lawyer came up with the name ‘Mfantsipim’. It started as the Wesleyan High School, became High School and Training Instruction, Wesleyan Collegiate School, Richmond College and finally Mfantsipim. For Sarbah and his friends, the name “Mfantsipim” was not to be broken into syllables to indicate “Mfantsefo Apem” (A thousand Fantes). They were more focused on the future needs of the country as a whole and to them “Mfantsipim” meant the ‘Soul of the People’ and it was in the School that the “souls of the people of Ghana” would mature. Mensah Sarbah also gave the school its motto “Dwen Hwe Kan” which, translated literally means “Think and look ahead”