First-year SHS students to report for 2025/2026 academic year October 18
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced that first-year Senior High School (SHS) students are to report to school on Saturday, 18 October 2025, marking the official start of the 2025/2026 academic year.
According to a circular signed by Mr Prince C. Agyemang-Duah, Director of the Schools and Instructions Division, the reopening date applies to both Single Track and Transitional Schools.
The letter, which was copied to all Regional Directors of Education, urged them to circulate the attached academic calendar to heads of second cycle institutions within their jurisdictions.
Regional Directors have been tasked to ensure strict adherence to the calendar and provide the necessary monitoring and support to guarantee consistency and smooth implementation across all schools.
GES has outlined key dates for the academic year as follows:
SHS 1 students will report between 18 and 20 October 2025
SHS 3 students will resume between 27 and 29 October 2025
Christmas break will run from 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026
SHS 2 students will return between 5 and 7 January 2026, alongside SHS 3 resumption
SHS 2 vacation is scheduled from 14 March to 17 May 2026
Easter break will take place from 1 to 8 April 2026
The 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will be held from 20 April to 20 June
The proposed start date for the 2026/2027 academic year is 11 September 2026
The GES has reiterated its commitment to ensuring a smooth academic year and has called on all stakeholders to support the implementation of the calendar.
The Service emphasised that the outlined schedule is designed to promote consistency and effective teaching and learning across all second cycle institutions.
