About Bishop Hermann College, Kpando

Bishop Hermann College (BIHECO) is celebrating its Platinum Jubilee (70 years) under the motto of Delivering Excellent Secondary Education in the Amidst of Covid-19: Prospects and Challenges.

The celebration touched on the many achievements and revealed the challenges of the school. They are also seeking assistance in rebuilding the school’s image and setting up the necessary infrastructure to aid and enhance academic work.

Bishop Hermann College popularly known as BIHECO was founded in February 1952 at the Roman Catholic Mission headquarters in Kpando, specifically in Gabi as a private mission school.

In history, the school was the first Catholic secondary school for boys founded by the Roman Catholic Church in the Volta Region, Ghana. The school’s motto is “Sicut Miles Christi” (“As Soldiers of Christ”).

The school is also known for its disciplinary rules towards academic work and its administration in general.

The school was founded by the Roman Catholic Church (R.C) in the Volta region by Dutch missionaries. The school is named after the French missionary named Bishop Augustin Hermann.

Bishop Augustin Hermann was a French missionary who served in the Diocese of Keita between 1923 and 1945. Two years later (1954), BIHECO was transferred to Aloryi Hills and the first batch (1952-1955) was completed.

The school gained public (state) status in 1955 as Government Supported College. BIHECO stands as a leading school in the Volta Region, Ghana.

Bishop Herman College is proud to be the best-performing school in the Volta region as per the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) statistical ranking. They have also been recognized as the winners of the first edition of the National Robotics Competition among other prestigious awards for their credit achievements.

V I S I O N

Roman Catholic Fathers established Bishop Herman College in Kpando in the Volta Region in February, 1952 with the aim of providing sound, spiritual, moral and  academic training for boys.  This training is expected to turn out young and educated men who, in future, will be capable of taking up responsible positions in  the Catholic Church, in the society and in the nation as a whole.

M I S S I O N

The mission of the Founding Fathers and, therefore, of the Catholic Church in the establishment of Bishop Herman College was to translate their vision into reality through the attainment of academic excellence and its corollary being discipline and high moral standards.

THE SCHOOL CREST & MOTTO

A) THE CREST

The school crest consists of a figure in the form of an inverted dome in the centre of  which is a map of Africa painted black.  Across this black map of Africa is a large  red cross which symbolizes the mission of the Catholic Church:  that is, the evangelisation of the African continent.

The inverted dome is diagonally divided into two; the top left is painted  green  while the bottom right is in gold.  The colours represent the rich resources of the region.  The green, in particular, represents the colour of Bishop Herman College.

1. B) THE MOTTO          SICUT MILES CHRISTI  meaning ” As A Soldier of Christ.”.
2. A BRIEF HISTORY OF INSTITUTION

Bishop Herman College was established on 28^th February, 1952 as a boarding institution of one stream of 25 students by the Catholic Church of the then Keta Diocese through the inspiration and initiative of the late Bishop   Anthony Konings.  This was in response to the strong desire to set up a “College” that would provide sound, spiritual, moral and  academic training for boys in the Diocese.

The Founding Father’s of Bishop Herman College were all Dutch evangelists.  Notable among them were Bishop Anthony Konings, Bishop Gerald Holland, Fr. Gerard Hombergen, Rev. Fr. John Beckers, Rev. Fr. Joseph Giesen, Rev. Fr. John Myers Cough with Rev. Fr. C.L. Priems being the first headmaster of the College from 1952 – 1977.

LOCATION

The Land for the establishment of the College was donated by the Chiefs and people  of Kpando Aloyi.  The College is therefore located in Kpando Aloyi on a hill over-             looking the Volta Lake.

SOURCE OF NAME

The Founding Fathers named the College after the late Bishop Augustine Herman, a French national, in recognition and appreciation of his outstanding missionary activities in the then Keta Diocese from 1923 till his death in 1945.

STATUS:  Bishop Herman College is essentially a boarding school with few day students.

Telephone Numbers:

i   Headmaster’s Office:     0936-50181

1. General Office 0936-50422

Important School Dates:

Founders Day:  28^th February

5. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE YEARS

DISCIPLINE

Bishop Herman College is 58 years old now (February, 1952 –2010) but there has never been any disturbing student unrest strike action or demonstration due to the strict catholic discipline instilled into the students.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

a        1998: National V.A.T. Essay Competition was won by Master Denni Adrah, a Form 3 student.

1. Aug. 1998: Bishop Herman College came 1^st in the Science Exhibition mounted by Ghana Association of Science Teachers (G.A.S.T.) in Fijai Secondary School.
2. May 2000: Master Honu-Siabi Mac Carthy came 2^nd in the National Millennium Essay Competition.
3. 2000: BEST TEACHER AWARD COMPETITIONS

1. Mr. C.K. Dotse an English tutor in the college, came 3^rd in the category of 2^nd Cycle Schools at the national level.
2. Mr. J.K. Dzramoah-Kofi was also declared the best Science tutor at the S.S.S. level in the Volta Region.
3. b) L.E.K. Adzaku also emerged the best tutor at the S.S.S. level in the Volta Region.
4. 2005: EXCELLENCE AWARD BY W.A.E.C.

In the 2005 SSSCE organized by the West African Examinations Council (W.A.E.C.) Master Ametefe Kwabena Victory came out the overall 3^rd  best candidate in  the country.

DEC. 2009:    Bishop Herman College was honoured on Farmers’ Day as the best Second Cycle School in farming in the Volta Region.

6. SCHOOL FACILITIES

Academic Facilities

1. a) Classrooms:

There are 24 classrooms in all, 8 for Form 1, 8 for Form 2 and the remaining 8 for Form 3.

1. b) Laboratories:

There are Junior and Senior Laboratories in the college:  Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Agric. Laboratories.

1. c) Library:

A large and spacious library which can accommodate about 200 students at a time

Non-Academic Facilities:

Recreational Grounds: Football field, Hockey pitch, Volleyball court, Basketball court, Table Tennis

7. ACADEMIC PROGRMMES

1. Agriculture Science: General Agriculture, Crop. Husbandry, Animal Husbandry, Chemistry, Physics, Elective Mathematics
2. Business (Accounting): Business Management, Business Mathematics & Principles of Costing, Principles of Accounting, Economics, Elective Mathematics
3. General Science: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Elective Mathematics, Geography
4. General Arts: Literature in English, French, Christian Religious Studies, Geography, Economics, History, Government, Elective Mathematics
   8. CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

Athletics (field and track events), football, hockey, basketball, volleyball, handball, Entertainment/Social and Cultural Activities, Farming, Compound cleaning, Festivals/School Celebrations, Outings/Excursions, Club activities, Singing/Choir practices, Air Force Cadet corps practices, Brass Band practices

9. STAKEHOLDERS:
10. Ghana Education Service
11. R.C. Church

iii.     Bishop Herman Old Boys’ Union (BHOBU)

1. P. T. A.
2. Board of Governors
3. Kpando District Assembly

vii.    The Chiefs and Elders of Kpando Aloyi

Some facilities (Houses) in Bishop Herman College (BIHECO)

BIHECO has seven (7) houses providing room and board, named after

1. Catholic Saints and Old Boys. St. Augustine’s House is named after Augustine of Hippo and is the oldest of the houses. “This house sits at the entrance of the school and has two entrances.”

2. St. Cyprain’s House is on the second floor of the same building as St. Benedict’s House.

3. St. Maurice’s House is on the first floor of the same building as Etu-Mantey houses.

4. St. Patrick’s House, named after St. Patrick, is adjacent the college’s hockey pitch.

5. Bishop Lodonu’s House (the latest) was named after an alumnus, Bishop Francis Anane K. Lodonu.”