Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School, ‘Adehyeɛ’ as they’re popularly called is the trailblazers of the Yaa Asantewaa spirit of old.
YAGSS have since their establishment in 1961 continued with the war, not with guns or against anybody. but on the academic battlefield.
Love them or hate them, they are always winning. In fact, you’ll see them everywhere – in every facet of life. Well-trained students who grow up to become intelligent and well-formed women in responsible and respectable positions of authority. They are the girls with a vision and on a mission to make a difference wherever they are. We’ve come to love them and we want to see them taking over the world.
Ultimately, it’s up to you if you want to be one of them.
They’ve been looking forward to excellence and against prejudice and the denigration of women. An important struggle that breaks away from gender bias. Women fighting to win in health, entrepreneurship and public service, etc…
Also Read: Category B Schools in Ashanti Region
Table of Contents
HISTORY OF YAA ASANTEWAA GIRLS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Senior High School (YAGSHS) was founded in 1960 as part of the quick educational expansion mission led by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first Ghanaian President after the independence of the country.
The school was named after Yaa Asantewaa, the great historical heroine and Queen mother of Ejisu, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. This cute lady boldly led the Ashanti kings in a war against the British colonialists in the year 1900.
Yaa Asantewaa Girls Senior High School is one of the few Girls’ Secondary Schools in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
Their patron Yaa Asantewaa might not have won that war physically, but her spirit and vision continue to inspire all Ghanaians generally and all women, the girl-child especially.
As their school website reads, “we are still in a war not with guns and grenades nor with anybody but now in an academic battlefield. We are fighting for excellence and fighting against ignorance and the denigration of women. The government, the Parent-Teacher Association, the Old Girls, and other stakeholders provide resources to support this fight.”
The school had an initial population of seventy (70) girls and the first headmistress was Mrs. Gibson. The School capacity grew to 300 by the late 60s and approximately 500 in the 70s and kept growing over the past decades. Since then the school has grown to its present size of about two thousand and four hundred (2,400) girls.
The School has had a succession of 7 Head Mistresses and the current Head Mistress is Ms. Asuande Eshun-Famiyeh.
The past and present headmistresses are as follows;
- Mrs. Gibson (From 1960 to 1961)
- Mrs. Gloria Aryee ( 1961 to 1962)
- Mrs. Tetteh (1962 to 1978)
- Mrs. Constance Murray (1979 to 1986)
- Mrs. Mary B. Ansong ( 1987 to 2005)
- Mrs. Elizabeth Malik Jabir (2005 to 2015)
- Ms. Asuande Eshun-Famiyeh (2015 to present).
Much of the success and discipline can be attributed to Madam Tetteh, the third Headmistress (1962 – 1978) of the School.
Her foresight, strictness and commitment turned the girls into respectable and disciplined women to this day. Her phrase “I’m teaching you girls to be good housewives” will forever go down to the School’s history.
However, in 1978, the students demonstrated against her decrees and demanded that the schools’ priority should also be focused on first-class education coupled with discipline.
From its humble beginnings, the school has come a long way to take its rightful but long-overdue place, as one of the best second cycle schools in Ghana. The school has recorded consistently excellent results in the final exams and the good work will carry on for years to come.
Also Read: Category B Schools in Kumasi: Everything you Need to Know!
ABOUT YAA ASANTEWAA GIRLS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
For over the last decades, the School has turned out thousands of educated and well-formed women holding responsible positions in governments, global organizations, education, hospitals fields and business circles. The School is expanding and no effort should be spared to continue the good work.
The school has a total land area of 168.3 acres. The then King of Ashanti, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II sought the opinion of some of the chiefs in the area where the school would be located to give land for the institution.
The chiefs were the Abenyasehene (formerly Afari), Toprehene and the Tiprihene. The chiefs came to a consensus and gave out a total land area of about 168 acres to the government. The foundation stone was laid on behalf of the His Excellency Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, founder of the Ghana Educational Trust by Hon. Kofi Baako, the then Minister for Education and Information on 20th September 1959.
Also Read: Category A Schools in Ashanti Region 2022
MISSION
“To provide relevant education to all Ghanaians at all levels to enable them to acquire skills that will assist them to develop their potentials, to be productive to facilitate poverty reduction and to promote socio-economic growth and national development”.
VISION
The Board of Governors, Headmistress, School Management Committee, Staff and Students of Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Senior High School jointly commit themselves to achieve its mission statement by;
Encouraging the personal and social development of the individual.
Pursuing academic excellence.
Enabling each student to achieve high standards in every activity undertaken to promote moral values, tolerance and self-discipline.
Providing a safe and well-managed environment for our students.
Sharing the expertise of the school and forming partnerships with others.
THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE MAKING A DECISION
What is the cost of attending YAGHS?
With free senior high school in Ghana, fresh students don’t pay any fees. However, fresh students will pay miscellaneous fees which when compared to the school fees, it’s very affordable.
- Gender – Girls
- Religion – Christian
- Denomination – Methodist, Presbyterian
- School type – Public Senior High School
- Color(s) – White and skyblue
- Alumni – Collectively, an alumnus of YAGHS is known as “YAOGA”
- Motto – “Love and Service”
Alliance – YAGHS maintains an ongoing alliance with their boys’ school, Prempeh College called ‘Amanadehye’.
Facilities at Yaa Asantewaa Girls Senior High School
The Administration Block
This is the first building you meet as you enter the school. The ground floor contains the Accounts Offices, conference room and offices of the Senior Housemistress and Assist. Headmaster Academic respectively .
The first floor houses the Headmistress’ Office, Secretary’s office, General Office, and Staff Common room.
Assembly Hall
There is the old Assembly Hall with a capacity of about 700 students. The new assembly hall can house about 2,000 students and it was constructed by GETFund.
Library
The Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Library, Computer Laboratory, and General Stores.
Science Resource Center
- It is a two-floor structure comprising;
- Physics lab
- Biology lab
- Chemistry Lab
- Offices and storerooms.
- Two science classrooms
Dining Hall and Kitchen
The old dining hall was expanded about 10 years ago to cater for the increased intake during the ‘SSS’ system. At the moment it can barely contain the present population of the school.
Home Economics Block
Two blocks comprising Food and Nutrition Block, Home Management Block, one classroom and storerooms.
Visual Art/ Business Block
It’s a single tall block, comprising the Art Studio, Typing Hall, Textbooks Store, Offices and Post Office.
Classroom Blocks
- The Old Classroom Block (also known as BLK A) has two floors housing 14 classrooms.
- The New Classroom Block (also known as BLK B) has two floors housing 12 classrooms.
- The Atta Mills Block’ encompasses 7 classrooms and a supplementary staff room.
Dormitories
9 house dormitories
Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School Programmes and Courses
Elective Subjects
The school offers six (6) Elective courses or programmes;
- Business
- Visual Arts
- General Arts
- General Science
- Home Economics
- Agricultural Science
All programmes have a duration of three (3)years to complete.
Core Subjects
Again the curriculum consists of six (6) general core subjects:
- ICT
- P. E
- Mathematics
- Social Studies
- English Language
- Integrated science
Let’s take each course one after the other and let’s look at the elective subjects for each programme.
GENERAL ARTS DEPARTMENT
Elective courses are selected according to each student’s preference. There are about 9 elective courses and among which a student chooses four in addition to the general core subjects.
The elective subjects are;
- Music
- French
- History
- Geography
- Economics
- Government
- Twi (ASANTE)
- Literature-In-English
- Christian Religious Studies
GENERAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
With elective mathematics as a ‘sub core’ subject for all science students, students can choose 3 other subjects from the list.
- Biology
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Geography
- General Agriculture
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
A student can choose any 2 from the following electives in addition to Financial Accounting and
- Business Management.
- Economics (Elective)
- French OR Music (Elective)
- Principles Of Cost Accounting (Elective)
VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT
Students can choose any four.
- Textiles
- Sculpture
- Graphic Design
- Picture Making
- Leather Works
- General Knowledge-In-Art
HOME ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT
With Management-In-Living as the general subject for all home economic students, students can choose any three from the following in addition to all the core subjects.
- Physics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Economics
- French or Music
- Food And Nutrition
- Clothing And Textiles
- Mathematics (Elective)
- General Knowledge-In-Art
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
All agricultural science students study general agriculture. Among
- Forestry
- Fisheries
- Animal Husbandry
- Crop Husbandry and Horticulture
- a student has to choose one.
- Then from
- Biology
- Physics
- Geography
- Mathematics (Elective)
A student can choose two subjects from this category.
Extra Curricular Activities
Extra-curricular activities are officially valid activities that students engage in at school. These activities are not part of the core academic work. These may include sports and games, activities relating to clubs, societies and religious groups, entertainment and clean-up exercises.
A list of approved clubs and societies is listed here.
- Recycle up
- Cadet Corps
- School Choir
- Science Club
- Cultural Club
- UNESCO Club
- Wild Life Club
- Cadet/Red Cross
- Red Cross Society
- FOHGHS (Priceless Ladies)
- Future Leaders Investment Club (FLIC)
- Ghana Muslim Students Union (GMSU)
- The Debaters & Writers Club Girl Guides
- Catholic & Anglican Students Union (CATSU)
- Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP)
- Computer / Information Technology Club (IteC)
- Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) Interact
Achievements:
Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Senior High School achievements are there for all to see:
- National Sprite Basketball Champions (2011)
- Winners of Asante Congress Inter-Schools Quiz
- First National Best School, Ashanti Region (2015)
- National Citizens international Hockey Champions (2015)
- Several Times Winners of Independence Day Coral Competition
- Winners of Ashanti Regional Writers, Drama, Debaters Club (2015)
- 40th Independence Day Award, Most Disciplined School During March Pass
Notable Alumni
- Efya, singer and songwriter
- Ellen Boakye, cardiologist for children
- Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, media personality
- Serwaa Amihere, broadcast journalist and news presenter
- Nana Akosua Konadu, broadcaster, CEO and founder of Enak Consult
What Others Are Saying About Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School
Should Prempeh college cut its alliance with Yaghs?
After Yaa Asantewaa girls being the long-term partners for Prempeh College, the boy’s school has decided to cut their alliance with the girls’ school. This happened a year or two ago but it’s still what everyone talks about anytime there’s a discussion involving any of the schools.
The reason for this divorce is interesting. As the newswriter says, “…According to some Prempeh students, some Yaa Asantewaa girls on social media joined trolls accusing them of speaking bad English and that Prempeh boys are “blackies.”
Are they coming back together? Have the YAGHS girls apologized? Fun and interesting stuff people are saying about this school.
Talking about female schools in this country, Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School will surely be among the bests.
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