Schools in Western Region
3,052 schools across 14 districts in Western Region, 7.0% of every school in Ghana, against an average of 2,727 a region. 58 are senior high schools and 30% of schools with a stated owner are private. The regional capital is Sekondi-Takoradi. About 73% of people aged 6 and over can read and write (our calculation from Census 2021 counts).
About Western Region
Western Region runs along Ghana's south-western coast, with the twin city of Sekondi-Takoradi as its capital. It covers 13,842 square kilometres and had 2,060,585 people at the 2021 census. Until 2019 it was a much larger region. Its northern part became Western North after the referendum of 27 December 2018, so older results filed under Western cover both areas. The region's schools and colleges grew with its working life. Tarkwa has the University of Mines and Technology, which began in 1952 as a technical institute, and Takoradi has a technical university dating from 1954. Catholic schools such as St John's in Sekondi and Archbishop Porter Girls' in Takoradi are among the best known. The harbour at Takoradi opened in 1928, and the Jubilee oil field offshore brought new work after 2010. Along the shore, eight old forts, Nzulezu on Lake Tadane and the lighthouse at Cape Three Points draw visitors, while the Kundum festival moves from town to town each year.
How the region came about: One of Ghana's older regions. Its northern part became the new Western North Region after the referendum of 27 December 2018, so the area is smaller than before 2019.
What makes Western Region proud
- Eight forts along the Western coast belong to the UNESCO Forts and Castles listing of 1979.
- Nzulezu, a village on stilts over Lake Tadane, has been on Ghana's UNESCO Tentative List since 2000.
- Cape Three Points is the southernmost community in Ghana and has a working lighthouse from 1925.
- Takoradi Port opened on 3 April 1928 and now carries most of Ghana's seaborne exports.
- The Kundum festival of the Ahanta and Nzema moves from town to town through the harvest season.
Education pride in Western
Founding years are shown only where the sources are reliable and agree. A school without a year here is listed without one rather than guessed.
- St John's Schoolopened 1952
- Sekondi CollegeSekondi
- UMaT began as Tarkwa Technical Institute in 1952. From 1961, as the Tarkwa School of Mines, it trained technicians for the mining industry. Parliament made it a university by Act 677 in 2004.
- Takoradi Technical University started in April 1954 as a Government Technical Institute. It gained tertiary status in 1992, began Higher National Diploma programmes in 1993/94 and became a technical university in September 2016.
Universities and colleges based here
- University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) Tarkwa, public university, since 1952
- Takoradi Technical University Takoradi, technical university, since 1954
Western in numbers
3,052 schools on the register, counted by level and owner, against the whole country.
Schools by level
- Basic schools1,979 · 65%
- Junior high schools498 · 16%
- Primary schools406 · 13%
- Kindergartens70 · 2%
- Senior high schools58 · 2%
- Vocational schools26 · 1%
- Nursing and midwifery training colleges5 · 0%
- Nurseries1 · 0%
- Technical universities1 · 0%
- Tertiary colleges1 · 0%
Source: Ministry of Education school register, 2023/24. Basic schools combine KG, primary and JHS at one campus and are not split in the register.
Public and private
Ghana: 29.0% private. Share is of schools with a stated owner.
Literacy and learning
Literacy is our own calculation from the Census 2021 counts. Learning scores are older, and are labelled with the region as it was then.
Share of people aged 6 and over who can read and write, by region
Western is 72.6% against 69.8% for the 16 regions together. Highest: Greater Accra 87.9%. Lowest: Savannah 32.8%.
Our calculation from Census 2021 counts (1,281,180 literate of 1,764,583 aged 6 and over in Western). Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2021.
Learning figures, the old Western Region, before 2019
Source: Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service, UNICEF and CDD-Ghana, 2013 to 2018. These describe the region with its boundaries before 2019, not today's.
Culture and heritage in Western Region
Festival months are the usual ones, and some move with the lunar calendar. Ask locally before you travel.
Festivals and their usual month
Marked in the region, with no usual month we can confirm: Kundum.
- KundumAhanta and Nzema peoples, with Sekondi Harvest festival that moves from town to town. Known for the Abesa dance and Asafo company performances. Lower Dixcove has marked it in July and August.
- The Kundum festival is known for the Abesa dance and for performances by Asafo companies.
- At Nzulezu, daily life from school to worship takes place on the lake, and Thursday is kept as the sacred day of the lake.
Heritage sites
- UNESCOFort OrangeSekondi Dutch fort of 1640, now a Ghana Navy security tower and lighthouse. Part of the UNESCO Forts and Castles listing.
- UNESCOFort San SebastianShama Named on the UNESCO Forts and Castles listing and as a National Monument.
- UNESCOFort St AnthonyAxim Named on the UNESCO Forts and Castles listing and as a National Monument.
- UNESCOFort Metal CrossDixcove British fort begun in 1692 on a promontory near Infuma. Part of the UNESCO listing.
- UNESCOFort Groot FredericksborgPrincess Town Named on the UNESCO Forts and Castles listing and as a National Monument.
- UNESCOFort BatensteinButre Listed by UNESCO as a fort in partial ruins.
- UNESCOFort ApolloniaBeyin Named on the UNESCO Forts and Castles listing and as a National Monument.
- UNESCOFort DorotheaAkwida Ruins with visible structures, included in the UNESCO listing.
- otherNzulezu stilt settlementBeyin area, Jomoro Village built on stilts over Lake Tadane. It is on Ghana's UNESCO Tentative List, submitted in 2000, but is not an inscribed World Heritage Site.
- otherCape Three PointsAhanta West Ghana's southernmost community. A lighthouse built in 1875 was replaced by the current one in 1925.
- national parkAnkasa Conservation Areanear Axim Protected rainforest of 509 sq km made up of Nini-Suhien National Park and Ankasa Resource Reserve.
The economy of Western Region in a line
Takoradi Port, opened in 1928, handled 77.4 percent of Ghana's seaborne exports in 2024 and supports offshore oil work. Offshore, the Jubilee field was discovered in 2007 and first oil flowed in December 2010.
Districts of Western Region
Every district, with its private share and senior high count. Schools with no district recorded are in the region total only.
| District | Schools | Private | Senior high |
|---|---|---|---|
| STMA | 385 | 23% | 11 |
| Shama | 277 | 31% | 3 |
| Wassa Amenfi East Municipal | 263 | 28% | 2 |
| Prestea/Huni Valley Municipal | 254 | 44% | 4 |
| Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal | 236 | 61% | 7 |
| Ahanta West Municipal | 230 | 35% | 3 |
| Jomoro Municipal | 219 | 23% | 2 |
| Ellembelle | 212 | 13% | 5 |
| Wassa Amenfi West Municipal | 182 | 22% | 2 |
| Nzema East Municipal | 159 | 15% | 7 |
| Wassa East | 149 | 24% | 1 |
| Wassa Amenfi Central | 130 | 26% | 1 |
| Effia Kwesimintsim Municipal | 115 | 65% | 0 |
| Mpohor-Fiase | 91 | 22% | 1 |
Cities and towns in Western Region
- Sekondi-Takoradi city
- Takoradi59
- Sekondi23
- Tarkwa17
- Wassa Akropon17
- Kaidawso16
- Aboadze15
- Awiane15
- Inchaban15
- Shama15
- Aiyinasi14
Senior high schools in Western Region
The first ten of 58. The full list, by district, has its own page.
| School | Level | Ownership | District |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adiembra Senior High School | Senior High | public | STMA |
| Adjoafua Community Senior High School | Senior High | public | Nzema East Municipal |
| Adventist Senior High School | Senior High | private | STMA |
| Ahantaman Girls' Senior High School | Senior High | public | Shama |
| Amenfiman Senior High School | Senior High | public | Wassa Amenfi East Municipal |
| Annor Adjaye Senior High School | Senior High | public | Jomoro Municipal |
| Archbishop Porter Girls' Senior High School, Takoradi | Senior High | public | STMA |
| Asankrangwa Senior High School | Senior High | public | Wassa Amenfi West Municipal |
| Asankrangwa Senior High Technical School | Senior High | public | Wassa Amenfi West Municipal |
| Ateiku Church of Christ Senior High School | Senior High | private | Wassa East |
All 58 senior high schools in Western Region
Universities and colleges in Western Region
2 universities, technical universities, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions on the register carry a Western region. 5 nursing and midwifery training colleges are listed.
| School | Level | Ownership | District |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Eucharist University College | Tertiary college | private | not stated |
| Takoradi Technical University | Technical university | public | Shama |
Search universities in Western Region
Schools near me in Western Region
Looking for schools near you, or near Western Region? Open the near me tool and, if you choose to share your location, it lists the closest schools to where you are. Your position is used once to work out the list and is not stored. You can pick a town instead.
Find schools near meQuestions people ask about schools in Western Region
- How many schools are there in Western Region?
- 3,052 schools across 14 districts, which is 7.0% of every school in Ghana. 58 of them are senior high schools.
- Which district in Western Region has the most schools?
- STMA, with 385 schools.
- How do I find schools near me in Western Region?
- Open the schools near me page and allow your location, or choose your town. It lists the closest schools to you from the schools whose position we trust. Each district page in Western Region also lists its schools.
- What are the best schools in Western Region?
- We do not rank schools. Well-known names include St John's School and Sekondi College in Sekondi, Archbishop Porter Girls' Senior High School in Takoradi, the University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa and Takoradi Technical University. To compare schools by results, boarding and programmes, use the SchoolRegistry directory.
- What changed for Western Region in 2019?
- Its northern part became the new Western North Region after a referendum on 27 December 2018. Exam results from before 2019 are filed under the old, larger Western Region, so they cover both areas.
- Which universities are in Western Region?
- The University of Mines and Technology is in Tarkwa and Takoradi Technical University is in Takoradi.