By Nadia Ntiamoah
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has officially released the academic calendar for the 2025/2026 academic year for all basic schools across the country.
This applies to all public Kindergarten, Primary, and Junior High Schools.
The calendar, structured around three academic terms, outlines reopening and vacation dates, mid-term breaks, and the scheduled period for the next Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The announcement, signed by Daniel Fenyi, Head of Public Relations at GES, and dated July 12, 2025, was shared through a press release from the GES headquarters in Accra.
Academic Year Breakdown
According to the GES, the academic year will span three terms, beginning in September 2025 and ending in July 2026.
Each term includes a mid-term break and accommodates all statutory public holidays.
First Term (15 Weeks)
Reopening: Tuesday, 2nd September 2025
Mid-Term Break: Thursday, 31st October to Monday, 3rd November 2025
Closing: Thursday, 18th December 2025
Vacation: Friday, 19th December 2025 to Wednesday, 7th January 2026
Second Term (12 Weeks)
Reopening: Thursday, 8th January 2026
Closing: Wednesday, 1st April 2026
Vacation: Thursday, 2nd April to Monday, 20th April 2026
Third Term (13 Weeks)
Reopening: Tuesday, 21st April 2026
Closing: Thursday, 23rd July 2026
Vacation Begins: Friday, 24th July 2026
BECE Date Confirmed
One of the key highlights of the new calendar is the confirmation of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) date.
The examination, which marks the completion of Junior High School education, will be held from Monday, 4th May to Monday, 11th May 2026.
This allows schools and candidates adequate time for final preparations during the second term.
GES used the opportunity to express gratitude to all stakeholders in the education sector—including heads of schools, teachers, parents, and learners—for their resilience and commitment throughout the 2024/2025 academic year, which officially ends on Thursday, 24th July 2025.
In its release, the GES also emphasized the need for strict observance of public holidays and scheduled breaks, encouraging all basic school heads to prepare adequately for the upcoming year to ensure a smooth and effective teaching and learning experience.
The publication of the calendar comes at a time when education stakeholders are calling for improved academic planning, particularly in response to disruptions caused in previous years by the COVID-19 pandemic.
By issuing the calendar early, GES aims to allow schools, parents, and local authorities to plan effectively ahead of the new school year.
The GES is expected to follow this announcement with regional workshops and sensitization programmes to brief school administrators on the effective implementation of the new calendar.
