The Methodist Girls High School was founded on January 1, 1880, with the objective of giving women in Sierra Leone a sound Christian education. It started off as the Wesleyan Educational Female Institute. The actual work of the Institution began under the supervision of Mrs. E. H. C. Weymouth, the first principal. Staff for the school was recruited from the Wesleyan Deaconess College in England. Mr. James Taylor, a prominent member of the Wesleyan Missionary Society was the Managing Director. He worked hard in promoting the well-being of the institution until his death in 1901.
The school was then given to the Wesleyan Missionary Society and Mrs. W. T. Balmer, the wife of the principal of the Wesleyan Boys High School, became the second principal. In 1905, the name of the School was changed to Wesleyan Girls High School. It was first in 1932, that the school assumed its present name – The Methodist Girls High School. In 1880, there were 55 pupils on role; in 1946 there were 155, in 1980, there were 600, in the year 2000 the count was 1500 and at present there are 2300 pupils on role.
The Methodist Girls High School has in the more than 134 years of its existence sought to reduce the gender disparity in education, and promote the access of young girls of Sierra Leone to secondary education.