GES 2025/2026 Academic Calendar | Reopening Dates, Holidays & Vacation Dates

2026/2027 Academic Calendar for Basic and Senior High Schools (Pre-Tertiary)

Please kindly Share this Article on WhatsApp, Facebook and other Social Media Platform Using the Button Below. Thanks For Sharing🙏

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has released the official academic calendar for the 2025/2026 academic year for all nationwide basic and senior high schools. This is important for the smooth running of the upcoming academic year.

GES has reverted to the pre‑COVID calendar format for basic schools, following established structure and contact hours
A two‑day mid‑term break is included in each term to provide rest for students and teachers.
All public holidays falling within term periods are observed as normal, without interrupting academic scheduling
The calendar aims to provide adequate preparation time for BECE candidates after the second term.

Table of Contents

2025/2026 Academic Calendar for KG/Primary/JHS

The calendar spans 40 weeks of contact for the academic year.

First Term:
- KG – JHS: Tuesday, 2 September 2025.
- Vacation: Thursday, 18 December 2025.
- Mid-term break: Friday, 31 October – Monday, 3 November 2025
- Christmas vacation: Friday, 19 December 2025 – Tuesday, 7 January 2026
Second Term:
- In school: Wednesday, 8 January 2026
- Vacation: Wednesday, 1 April 2026.
- Easter vacation: Thursday, 2 April – Monday, 20 April 2026
Third Term:
- In school: Tuesday, 21 April 2026.
- End of Academic Year: Thursday, 23 July 2026

For JHS 3 students, after completing their third term, they will sit for the BECE in July 2025. (Monday, 4 May – Monday, 11 May 2026)

Key Details from the Academic Calendar:

Start of Academic Year:
- The 2025/2026 academic year begins on Wednesday, 30th October 2025 for all senior high schools.
- Continuing students in Single Track schools are expected to reopen on this same date.
- For First Year Students of both Single Track and Transitional Schools, classes will also commence on Wednesday, 30th October 2026.
Transition of First-Year Students (2023/2024):
- Current first-year students in Transitional Calendar Schools will complete their 2023/2024 academic year on Monday, 28th October 2024. They will then be promoted to Form Two (2) and continue into the new academic year immediately.
Purpose of the Reopening Date:
- This date aims to align the school calendar, allowing the academic year to consistently start in September in the subsequent years.
- Additionally, the timeline will ensure that final-year students are well-prepared for their 2025/2026 WASSCE in May/June.

2025/2026 Single Track Academic Calendar

The academic year for Single Track Senior High Schools follows this pattern:

Form 1 to Form 3:
- In school: 30th October 2024 to 29th March 2025.
- Break: 30th March 2025 to 5th March 2025.
Break for Eligible Voters:
- 5th December to 9th December 2024 (likely in preparation for the national elections).
End of Academic Year:
- 29th August 2025.

2025/2026 Transitional Academic Calendar

For schools under the Transitional system, the timeline is as follows:

Form 1 to Form 3:
- In school: 30th October 2024 to 26th May 2025 for Form 1 and Form 2 students.
- Break: 17th April to 22nd April 2025.
End of Academic Year:
- For Form 3 students, the academic year concludes on 6th March 2024.
- For other forms, the academic year ends between July and August 2025.

There is also a Christmas Break scheduled from Friday, 19 December 2025 – Tuesday, 7 January 2026

GES 2025/2026 Academic Summary Table For KG/Primary

Term	Term Start – End	Mid‑term Break	Vacation
First Term	2 Sep 2025 – 18 Dec 2025	31 Oct – 3 Nov 2025	19 Dec 2025 – 7 Jan 2026
Second Term	8 Jan 2026 – 1 Apr 2026	n/a	2 Apr 2026 – 20 Apr 2026
Third Term	21 Apr 2026 – 23 Jul 2026	n/a	After 23 Jul 2026
BECE Exams	—	—	4 May – 11 May 2026

This academic calendar ensures effective planning for school heads, students, and teachers. It emphasizes the need for coordination in both Single Track and Transitional schools to ensure smooth operations throughout the 2024/2025 academic year. The GES urges all schools to comply with these schedules to ensure a successful academic year.