GES Releases 2026/2027 Academic Calendar for Senior High Schools
The Ghana Education Service has released its academic calendar for Senior High Schools and Senior High Technical Schools for the 2026/2027 academic year, setting out a detailed schedule of reopening dates, vacation periods, online learning windows, and examination timelines for both Single Track and Transitional Schools.
In a statement issued on Monday, June 1, the Service urged school administrators, teachers, parents, and students to take careful note of the approved dates and begin making the necessary preparations ahead of the new academic year. The calendar is designed to provide clarity and structure for what promises to be another busy year in Ghana’s secondary education system.
For Single Track Schools, Form One and Form Two students will begin the academic year on September 18, 2026, and remain in school until January 29, 2027 for the first semester. A vacation period will follow from January 30 to March 29, 2027, after which students will return for the second semester, which runs from March 30 to July 30, 2027. The academic year for these students officially ends on July 31, 2027.
Form Three students in Single Track Schools will follow a shorter first semester, running from September 18 to December 18, 2026, followed by a Christmas vacation from December 19, 2026 to January 31, 2027. They will then return on February 1, 2027 for their final semester, concluding on June 18, 2027.
The calendar for Transitional Schools introduces a more complex structure, blending in-person instruction with online learning. Form One students will report to school on September 18, 2026 and remain on campus until November 13, 2026. They will then shift to online learning from November 16 to December 18, 2026, before taking a break from December 19, 2026 to February 7, 2027.
A further period of in-school learning will run from February 8 to April 16, 2027, followed by another online phase from April 19 to May 14, 2027. A vacation period from May 15 to June 20, 2027 precedes the final in-school stretch from June 21 to August 27, 2027.
Form Two students in Transitional Schools will begin their first semester on November 16, 2026 and remain in school until February 5, 2027. Online learning will continue from February 8 to March 5, 2027, followed by a vacation from March 6 to April 18, 2027. The second semester commences on April 19, 2027 and runs through to August 27, 2027.
Final-year students in Transitional Schools will start their first semester on September 18, 2026 and remain in school until December 18, 2026. After the Christmas break from December 19, 2026 to January 4, 2027, they will return on January 5, 2027 for their second semester, which continues until June 18, 2027.
The Service also outlined key break periods and examination windows. The Christmas break is scheduled from December 19, 2026 to January 4, 2027, while the Easter break will take place from March 25 to March 30, 2027. A mid-semester break for Form Two students is set for June 17 to June 20, 2027.
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for 2027 is expected to run from April 6 to June 28, 2027, a period during which final-year students across the country will sit for the crucial exit examination. The release of the calendar comes as GES continues its efforts to bring predictability and order to the academic year, particularly for schools operating under the transitional schedule that combines face-to-face and remote instruction. The recent handover of school facilities for major renovation by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly underscores the broader push to improve educational infrastructure ahead of the new academic year.
GES has called on all school heads, teachers, parents, and students to familiarise themselves with the approved schedule and ensure that arrangements are made well ahead of the September reopening.
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