Tamale Senior High School

TAMALE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

• VISION

The vision of the school is to provide quality education to its students so that they can acquire the requisite qualification for further training in tertiary institutions and become responsible and productive citizens ready to assume leadership roles in the country’s socio-economic development, and poverty reduction agenda as well as promote co-curricular activities needed for human resource development

2. MISSION

The mission of the school is to recruit and maintain qualified, competent and devoted staff and admit B.E.C.E. leavers who have attained the requisite qualification and ensure quality education delivery with the view to achieving academic excellence, high level discipline, good morals, excellence in sports and games as well as good sanitation.

3. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL

Tamale Senior High School (TAMASCO) is the premier institution for secondary education of the Northern sector of Ghana and was opened in 1951.  The school was established specifically to provide opportunities for accelerated training of the youth to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes for rapid social, economic and cultural development of the area.  The idea which has since been lingering is for the North to catch up with the south educationally.

The first curriculum of the school was, therefore, broad based.  It did not emphasize only academic pursuits but also practical skills and character training.  The curriculum included the following; English Language, Mathematics, General Science, (1 and 2), Geography, History, Latin, Agriculture, Carpentry, Masonry, Art and Craft, Music and Metal work.  Dagbani and French were later added to the list of subjects.

All students studied all subjects in the first three years and specialized in eight which they studied in the fourth and fifth years and presented for the School Certificate Examinations.

It is significant to mention also, that, in line with the vision of the school for the Holistic training of the students the school Cadet Corps was established in 1954 and was the first in Africa, South of the Sahara outside South Africa.

The Cadet Corps was officially opened on the 11^th February 1956 by the Hon. V.H. Alhassan, M.P. for Tamale during President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s regime (C.P.P. Government).  The commanding officer at that time was John-Parson.  In his honour the school Cadet training ground was named Parson Square after his death.

It thus preceded all other Cadet Corps established in Ghana.  It had the singular honour of presenting a Guard of Honour to General Harding at the Tamale Old airport, as Chief of Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces when he paid a one day visit to Tamale.  The parade was commanded by Col (rtd) A. Iddisa who was then the Cadet Sergeant.

In 1958, the first batch of girls was admitted to form one, thus making the school a mixed school. In the same year, the first batch of “Special Scholars” were admitted to Form four through a special scheme which afforded teachers with high academic potential the opportunity to enroll in the school, write the ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level Examinations and continued to the University.

In 1959, the Sixth Form Course was introduced in the school, beginning with the Arts programme.  From that period onwards the school never looked back, excelling academically and dominating sister schools in Sports and Games.

I must stress that the school can boast of Old students who are well placed politicians, military officers, civil servants, teachers, medical officers, lawyers, engineers and other professionals.  In fact, the school has justified its establishment in every sense.

–   Telephone No.    –               071-23455, 071-23456, 071-22221.

IMPORTANT SCHOOL DATES

1. The Silver jubilee of the school was celebrated in 1991

ii             The golden jubilee of the school was celebrated in 2001

iii.            The 60^th Anniversary of the school will be celebrated in 2011

4. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

W A S S C E  RESULTS – FROM 2006 – 2008

REGIONAL ICT QUIZ COMPETITION – 2008

In November, 2008, the National Association of ICT Teachers organized a Regional ICT competition for S.H.S. and our school won the 3^rd position.

DEBATE COMPETITION – 2009

Foundation for Security and Human Development, an NGO, organized a debate competition among selected schools in Tamale Metropolis and TAMASCO won the 1^st position.

INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY PARADE – 2009

Our school Cadet Corps won the first position during the 52^nd Independence anniversary Parade, in the March past.

NATIONAL SCIENCE AND MATHS QUIZ COMPETITOON – 2009

Tamasco is the only school in the North that takes part in the National Science and Maths Quiz competition every year.

NATIONAL MILO S.H.S. SOCCER (BOYS) AND VOLLEYBALL (GIRLS) CHAMPIONSHIP – 2009

TAMASCO is the only school in the Northern Sector that has won the National Milo S.H.S. Soccer (boys) championship thrice and Volleyball (girls) championship once.

DEBATE COMPETITION TO MARK THE 2010 INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATON

The school won the Regional Competition and represented Northern Region at the Zonal level in Kumasi.

5. SCHOOL FACILITIES
6. ACADEMIC
7. Classrooms        –     There are 36 classrooms.
8. Laboratories –     There are three old and one new laboratories.

iii.   Library              –                The school has a library and another library complex which is under completion.

b              NON-ACADEMIC

1. The school football field is a training pitch, and serves as an annex of the Tamale Sports Stadium.
2. ACADEMIC PROGRAMME
   1. General Science: Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Elective Mathematics
   2. Agriculture Science: General Agriculture,  Elective Mathematics, Horticulture, Chemistry, Physics
   3. General Arts; Elective Mathematics, History, Government, Geography, Literature in English, Economics, Dagbani, French, Government, Islamic Religious Studies, Christian Religious Studies
   4. Visual Arts: Economics, General Knowledge in Art, Graphic Design, Textiles, Sculpture.

• Home Economics: Economics, Management in Living, Food & Nutrition, Clothing & Textiles.

1. Business: Elective Mathematics, Economics, Accounting, Management, Costing (BMC).
2. Technical: Physics, Elective Mathematics, Applied Electricity, Technical Drawing.

7. STAKEHOLDERS

These stakeholders include the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, the school P.T.A., Old TAMASCANS and N.G.O. such as Zosimli Naa, Camfed, NETFUND, etc.

The stakeholders undertake projects, some which include, building of classrooms and dormitories, renovation of buildings, provision of classroom office furniture and improvement of the lighting system of the school.