SLGS 180th Anniversary Giving Tuesday

First secondary school in Sierra Leone (and only one for first 20 years)

First secondary education institution for West Africans with a European curriculum

By 1849, just four years after founding, the school’s roll included students from across the West African sub-region.

By the end of 1850, enrollment had grown to 55 pupils.

Early Years: Broad, classical curriculum, including: Greek, Latin, Astronomy, Music, English, French, Bible Knowledge, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, Recitation, Physical Education

20th Century Additions: Mende (local language), Economics, Accounting, British Constitution/Government, Technical Drawing, Art.

Sports and Extracurriculars: football (soccer), cricket, athletics, swimming, scouting, missionary work

In 1962, the school relocated to its current campus in Murray Town, Freetown, which sits on approximately 50 acres.

Currently, the school has both Junior and Senior school sections (i.e., secondary education structure spans different levels)

In 1962, the government of Sierra Leone began taking over parts of funding from the CMS to cover teacher salaries and grants.

In September 2007, SLGS regained independent status: now administered by the Anglican Diocese of Freetown, as a private company limited by guarantee

The school has produced several prominent alumni including:

• Politicians like Charles D.B. King, former president of Liberia

• Renowned scientists, medical professionals, academics

The school is credited with “setting the tone for secondary education throughout Sierra Leone and West Africa

In its early decades, it also played a role in teacher training, helping raise the quality of primary education in Sierra Leone.

The school is part of Sierra Leone’s educational identity: historical sources note that through SLGS, Sierra Leone gained reputation as the “Athens of West Africa.”