St. Paul’s Senior High School was the first and only catholic second cycle institution established in the southern sector of the then Keta-Ho Diocese of the Volta Region in 1958 by Bishop Konings.
The founder fathers were Fr. J. Caffrey, the chief founder and first Headmaster of St. Paul’s Secondary School. He was later joined by Rev. Fr. Seemers, who was the co-administrator of the school.
Fr. J. Caffrey worked so hard to the admiration of the Bishop. The motto of the school, which used to be “In Deo Omia Possum” (With God all things are possible), was graduated to “Vinci in Bono Malum” (Conquer evil by doing good) to suit the lifestyle of the biblical Paul and Patron Saint of the school and as an encouragement to Fr. Caffrey not to look back but continue his good works.
The school was initially opened as a single sex boys-only secondary at a place called Three-Town, the meeting point of Denu, Hedzranawo and Adafienu townships.
For lack of enough land for the expansion of the school, the school authorities searched for a new site and found a suitable place at the school’s present location in a beautiful village called Hatsukope in the Viepe-Aflao Traditional Area, along the Denu-Ho road.
The Chief of Hatsukope, Torgbui Passaku, and his elders generously donated land to the Catholic Church for the permanent siting and future expansion of the school.
In 1972, the government acquired additional land, bringing the land space of the school to 100 acres. Unfortunately, as a result of survey fraud the school is now left with less than 70 acres.
With initial intake of 26 students, ST. Paul’s now has a population of 1,145, made up of 848 Boarders, 296 Day students and a staff of 144, including teaching, teachers on Internship and non-teaching.
The Catholic Church and the community have co-existed in a friendly atmosphere with the community providing accommodation for some staffs as well as day students. They also volunteer information on students’ behavior outside the school premises.
The first and, so far, longest-serving Ghanaian headmaster of the school was Msgr Rudolf Apietu of blessed memory. As a disciplinarian, Msgr Apietu is fondly remembered in the annals of the school, even by students who did not meet him as head of the school.
SPACO has long been associated with good discipline, sterling academic records and has no reputation of destructive student riots. Students are friendly, easy-going, jovial and generally full of beans.
The products of the school can be found in all endeavours of the Ghanaian and global economy. There are found in areas such as politics, the law profession, civil servants, medicine, academia, banking, accounting, public servants, entrepreneurship and private sector as well as the security services.
The school is now under the Episcopal jurisdiction of Keta-Akatsi Diocese headed by His Lordship Anthony Kwame Adanuty.
FACTS ABOUT SPACO
I. Name of Institution: St. Paul’s Senior High School – Denu
II. Year of establishment: 1958
III. Location: The school is specifically located at Hatsukope in Viepe-Aflao Traditional Area of the Volta Region. It is, however, usually associated with Denu, the Capital of the Ketu-South District, which harbours this great school.
IV. Contact: The Fixed Line of the School: +233 (0962) 30333
Vince In Bono Malum