The Ghana Education Service (GES) has affirmed that the academic timetable for senior high schools will remain unchanged for the 2025/2026 school year, while introducing structured provisions for off-campus learning in transitional schools.
In a statement released on January 2, GES management confirmed the schedule for both single-track and transitional schools, ensuring clarity for students, parents, and school administrators ahead of the resumption date.
For single-track schools, students in Forms One and Two will report to campus on January 5 and continue through their first term until February 27. Following this period, they will take a break that extends until May 3, after which they return to complete the academic year by August 21, 2026. Form Three students in single-track schools face a different timeline, finishing their school year on June 21, 2026, to allow adequate preparation time for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The transitional school system introduces a blended learning approach that combines on-campus and off-campus instruction. Form One students in these schools will begin the year with online or off-campus learning from January 5 through January 30, providing flexibility while maintaining educational continuity. Form Two students in transitional schools will engage in similar off-campus learning from March 16 to April 17. However, Form Three students in transitional schools will follow an uninterrupted in-person schedule throughout their time on campus until their academic year concludes in June.
GES has introduced several measures to support off-campus learning periods, though specific details of these support systems were outlined in the official release. The measures aim to ensure that students engaged in remote instruction receive adequate resources and guidance during their time away from physical campuses.
The confirmation comes after concerns raised by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), which had called for potential delays to the academic calendar due to financial challenges affecting second-cycle institutions. Despite these concerns, GES maintained its position that schools should adhere to the published timetable.
Education officials emphasized that the calendar structure provides balance between academic rigor and examination preparation, particularly for final-year students who will sit for WASSCE in 2026. The examination period for WASSCE is scheduled to run from May through June 2026, aligning Ghana’s academic schedule with other West African Examinations Council (WAEC) member countries.
The unchanged calendar reflects efforts by GES to restore stability to the education system following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The service has been working to realign academic calendars across different levels of education, ensuring that senior high school schedules synchronize properly with tertiary institution admission timelines.
Parents and guardians have been urged to take note of these dates and ensure their wards report to school with all necessary materials and documentation. School administrators are expected to communicate the specific arrangements for their institutions, particularly regarding the implementation of off-campus learning periods in transitional schools.
The statement from GES reaffirms the service’s commitment to maintaining structured academic programming while accommodating different school systems operating across the country.
