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ABOUT OGBOMOSO GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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School Principal's Welcome Message:

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It is with pleasure that I welcome you to Ogbomoso Grammar School.

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My name is Rachael Onaolapo Phillips (Mrs.) and I feel privileged to head such a great and wonderful citadel of learning. The school is growing in enrolment with significant development in teaching and learning activities. The school was established in April 1952 to develop students’ full academic potential, moral character and responsibility.

 

As a school, we continually work hard to build upon our strengths and address our areas for development in a changing and challenging educational climate.

 

We have beautiful classrooms, laboratories, tidy, peaceful, spacious and pleasant environment with a variety of school activities and physical challenges for the students.

 

Ogbomoso Grammar School is enjoying the contributions and supports of the State Government, School Governing Board, Parent-Teacher Association, Community and Old Students’ Association that are making the school a place to be proud of.

 

Our staff, both Teaching and Non-Teaching are dedicated, hardworking and experienced. We provide a safe, calm and caring atmosphere in the school. Also foster a hardworking ethos based on an enjoyment of learning within a stable and peaceful environment. We are proud of our reputation as a warm, welcoming family school and the first secondary school in the Community.

 

We have an aspiration for all our students that through their years in the school, they will fulfil their academic potential, become successful life-long learners, active and productive members of the society in future.,

 

Vision /Mission Statements

 

The Vision and Mission statements of the school is a clear indication of the purpose and priority of education and how we value it.

 

Our Vision is to prepare and motivate our students for a rapidly changing world by instilling in them critical thinking skills, to a global perspective, and a respect for core values of honesty, loyalty, perseverance, and compassion. Students will have success for today and be prepared for tomorrow.

 

Our Mission is to provide a safe haven where everyone is valued and respected. All staff members, in partnership with parents and families are fully committed to students’ learning and career readiness. Students are empowered to meet current and future challenges to develop social awareness, civic responsibility, and personal growth.

 

I believe that reading our website will give you an insight into Ogbomoso Grammar School, Paku, Ogbomoso. If you are seeking for any information, please do not hesitate to call or visit our school and you will be warmly welcome.

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Yours sincerely,

Rachael Onaolapo Phillips (Mrs.)

PRINCIPAL

Our Philosophy

To be detailed soon

Our History

A Brief History of Ogbomoso Grammar School, Paku, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria

 

Almost seven decades ago, many years before Nigeria attained independence from her British colonial masters, the people of Ogbomoso yearned for a secondary school of their own. This was almost 100 years since the establishment of the oldest secondary school in Nigeria (CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos; June 6, 1859). In fulfillment of this aspiration, Ogbomoso Parapo; a socio-cultural organization of Ogbomoso sons and daughters, took a final decision inside Ogbomoso town hall at its annual congress on December 26, 1951. The association then set to work with vigour and earnestness. Their effort was amply rewarded when the letter of approval to open a secondary school was received from Mr. Hunt A. Cooke, Director of Education, Western Region of Nigeria. The letter, dated March 18, 1952, stated that the effective date to start the school was April 1, 1952. This date would establish Ogbomoso Grammar School as the estimated 76th oldest secondary school in Nigeria.   

   Ogbomoso people were extremely lucky in that Professor Eyo Ita had put a huge structure on a site at Paku, half of which was completed. Professor Ita had planned to open a university at that site. The structure adequately solved the entire accommodation problem that the young Grammar School might contend with, providing suitable accommodation for the house master, classroom, boarding facility, chapel/assembly hall, dinning/kitchen, etc. This building is fondly remembered by the Alumni as the “Down Hostel.”

   The wealthy Ogbomoso sons and daughters then trading and resident in the then Gold Coast (currently Ghana) provided a strong financial backing for the establishment of the institution and finance was no longer an obstacle to the provision of basic structures. Ogbomoso Parapo of Gold Coast (Ghana) undertook to bear the cost of building the first block of four classrooms to be completed by the end of December 1952.

   Shortly after receiving the license to open the school, the entrance examination was conducted to select the pioneering students. Over 600 candidates sat for the examination at three centres in Ogbomoso, Ibadan, and Jos. 33 students were offered admission into form one as Foundation Students. In 1953, the initial name of the school was changed from “Ogbomoso High School” to “Ogbomoso Grammar School. The student population rose rapidly from thirty-three in 1952 to a cumulative enrolment of more than 24,000 in the current year 2020.

 

Founding Fathers:

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Ogbomoso Parapo was not the only prime mover in the establishment of Ogbomoso Grammar School. There were also prominent individuals who played key roles in getting the school off the ground and these include the following:

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  1. Engr. (Chief) S. A. Ogundipe (General Secretary of Ogbomoso Parapo)

  2. Chief S. L. Akintola

  3. Chief J. A. Adigun

  4. Rev. J. A. Adediran

  5. Mr. E. A. Ogunjumo

  6. Mr. Awolowo Ajunwon

  7. Mr. Oyedokun Ige

  8. Mr. J. O. Adetunji (Secretary of Ogbomoso Parapo in Ibadan)

  9. Mr. Magbagbeola

  10. Engr. Ben A. Faluyi (the first teacher who also greatly influenced both Mr. A. G. Keay and Mr. F. K. Butler to issue the license for the school)

 

First Board of Governors:

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  1. Prof. (Chief) N. D. Oyerinde (Chairman)

  2. Mr. Fenn (A. D. O)

  3. Mr. E. O. Lafihan

  4. Alhaji Kamorudeen

  5. Mr. P. D. Onreti

  6. Chief S. A. Ogunlowo (Co-opted)

  7. Chief S. O. Ogundipe

  8. Mr. A. Jinadu (Co-opted)

  9. Mr. Sanusi Sanni

  10. Chief A. A. Fabunmi (Co-opted)

  11. Chief E. L. Gbenro

  12. Rev. S. A. Ige

  13. Rev. Akinnigbagbe

  14. Chief E. G. O. Gesinde (Principal)

  15. Chief J. O. Ajao (Secretary)

 

Foundation Staff:

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  1. Principal: Chief Edmund Godwin Oluwemimo Gesinde, M.O.N, B.A (Dunelm), Dip.Ed (London)

  2. Vice Principal: Chief Nathaniel Agboola Adibi

  3. First Teacher & House Master: Engr. (Chief) Benjamin Ayodele Idowu

  4. Boarding House Leader: Mr. Ben Faluyi

  5. Master Finesse: Chief Ayo Adelowo

  6. Geography Teacher: J. A. Adeniran

  7. Craft Teacher: Ajani (Baaba)

 

First Principal: 1952 – 1972

 

Chief Edmund Godwin Oluwemimo Gesinde was the first principal of Ogbomoso Grammar School. He was an excellent school administrator for 20 years and his meritorious services in the field of education to Ogbomoso was recognized through the award of the city’s honorable chieftaincy title of “Aare Ona Eko”. Affectionately referred to as “EGOG” by his students, he was a gentle, cautious and fair-minded leader with a high sense of discipline.

 

 

Principals/Acting Principals:

                                                             From             To

  1. Chief E. G. O. Gesinde                   01/04/1952  18/04/1972

  2. Chief A. D. Pariola                          01/05/1972  31/01/1975

  3. Chief G. K. Dada                             03/05/1975  31/07/1976

  4. Chief J. A. Alao                                01/08/1976  31/07/1984

  5. Chief S. A Adepoju                         01/08/1984  31/07/1986

  6. Mr. S. O. Ladanu (Acting)              12/09/1986  23/12/1986

  7. Mr. T. O. Beyioku                            29/12/1986  03/01/1996

  8. Mr. E. O. Olaleye                             04/01/1996  30/07/1999

  9. Mr A. A. Isola (Acting)                    03/07/1999  10/10/1999

  10. Alhaji Y. A. Alao                               11/10/1999  30/09/2002

  11. Mr. Lola Oladepo                           01/10/2002  16/04/2011

  12. Mr. Ayo Isola                                   27/04/2011  11/04/2016

  13. Rev. Samuel Adesina                     09/01/2017  02/07/2018

  14. Mrs. Racheal Onaolapo Phillips   06/07/2018  01/03/2022

  15. Dr. Tolani Adekunmi Adewumi     02/03/2022 to Date                                               

From Pre-Independence Foundations to the Twenty-First Century:

 

At its inception, Ogbomoso Grammar School was only for boys. The school became co-educational in 1973 but then reverted to a male only school in 2012. However, the reversion to single sex (boys only) configuration worked against the school in terms of dwindling student enrolment, quality degradation and loss of prominence. Because a school’s population is an important factor in obtaining assistance and support from government and philanthropists, the declining enrolment was a serious drawback for the school. This informed the decision of the school management and governing board to officially advocate for the return to a co-educational configuration (boys and girls) so as to remove the obvious limitations and inequalities the school was experiencing. The request to go back to a co-educational school was considered and eventually approved by the government in 2017 and this has restored great and positive effects on the school. The school is growing in enrolment with significant development in all ramifications.

   Ogbomoso Grammar School, at its inception, offered mainly arts subjects and two science subjects (health science and general science) as mandatory for the school certificate/general certificate examinations (SCE/GCE). Physics, Chemistry and Biology were offered for the first time as separate subjects in 1965.

  In view of its established academic standards, the school was approved in 1973 to offer courses leading to the Higher School Certificate (HSC)/Advanced Level General Certificate Examination (GCE A/L). The program was discontinued in the whole state in 1979, resuscitated in 1980, only to be finally phased out in the state in 1989.  

   By the school’s golden jubilee year in 2002, the student population had risen to a total of 3,243, consisting of 1,717 boys and 1,526 girls.  

   Details of the 2020 School Enrolments are shown in the tables below:

 

2020 Total School Enrolment: 1,394

 

CLASS   MALE   FEMALE   TOTAL

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JSS         503       436           939

SSS        278       177           455

TOTAL    781      613         1394

 

2020 Junior Secondary School Enrolment: 939

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            JSS1                               JSS2                              JSS3

Male  Female  Total    Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total

198    172         370      151    153         304    154    111        264

 

2020 Senior Secondary School Enrolment: 455

 

             SSS1                               SSS2                              SSS3

Male  Female  Total    Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total

79       61           140      121    101         222   78       15          93

 

 

 

 

 

 

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