Stories and facts

O'Reilly Senior High School, commonly known as "O'REISCO," is a co-educational boarding school located in Okpoi-Gonno within the Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal District of Accra, Ghana.

Established in August 1925 by Sierra Leonean Anglican priest Rev. Ezekiel Festus O'Reilly, the school is the fourth oldest senior high school in Ghana and the second oldest in the Greater Accra Region, following Accra High School, Adisadel College, and Mfantsipim School.

Originally named O'Reilly Educational Institute, the school was founded with the aim of providing education to ambitious students from low-income families.

The institution was designed to offer a comprehensive twelve-year course of education, starting from kindergarten up to the school-leaving examination. The kindergarten section was the first to be established in 1925, and by 1927, the school had grown to accommodate 200 young children.

The school’s first location was in Korle Wokon, situated in the basement of a large house in Accra owned by Barrister Silas Dove. As the student population grew, it became necessary to find a more spacious location.

In 1926, Rev. O'Reilly embarked on a successful fundraising tour through the Gold Coast and Nigeria, enabling him to search for a new site for the school's buildings.

He received a large plot of land at Tudu from Francis Dove, the elder brother of Silas Dove. With the help of teachers and students, Rev. O'Reilly constructed new buildings by 1927.

On October 20, 1961, the school relocated from Tudu to a building in James Town, previously occupied by Accra Academy.

Although this was intended as a temporary move, the school was unable to secure a permanent site at Kokomlemle, necessitating another relocation.

As the student population continued to grow, the school moved into rented premises at Kokomlemle. However, in the mid-1980s, the school faced eviction from this location, resulting in the loss of significant documents and properties.

Eventually, the school settled in a three-story building behind the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Adabraka.

In August 2010, the Ghana Education Service directed the school to cease accepting new students and prepare for closure, as the owners of the Adabraka building decided not to renew the lease. However, by December of the same year, the Service developed a plan to relocate the school to a new site in Teshie Okpoi-Gonno.

The new building, constructed to accommodate the students, is well-suited for teaching and class activities. The school offers a wide range of courses and engages students in various extracurricular activities, including sports, inter-departmental debates, and quizzes.

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