Understanding the necessity of new GES academic calendar for second cycle institutions

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has recently announced its 2024/2025 academic calendar for second-cycle institutions, with the academic year commencing on 30th October 2024. This has generated a wave of reactions from various stakeholders, including parents, educators, and education advocacy groups, many of whom have raised concerns about the number and quality of contact hours students will receive under the new schedule.

These legitimate concerns stem from fears that the compressed timeline may affect the quality of teaching and learning. However, upon closer examination of the GES’sThe Ghana Education Service (GES) has recently announced its 2024/2025 academic calendar for second-cycle institutions, with the academic year commencing on 30th October 2024.rationale, it becomes clear that the changes are part of a broader, well-considered strategy to restore and stabilize the academic calendar, which has been disrupted in recent years.

Addressing Legitimate Concerns

It is important to acknowledge the validity of some of the issues raised. First, the concern that students might not have enough time to fully cover the curriculum, especially in critical subjects, cannot be ignored. The limited time for contact hours might also raise questions about whether teachers will be able to deliver lessons effectively, or if students will be adequately prepared for their final examinations. In this light, the academic community is rightly worried about the possible long-term impact on students’ overall performance and readiness for higher education or the job market.

The Strategic Reasons Behind the New Academic Calendar

Despite these concerns, sources within the GES have explained that the new calendar is necessary for multiple strategic reasons. The most pressing of these is Ghana’s membership in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). As a member state, Ghana’s academic calendar must align with that of other countries in the region to ensure that students can write the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) alongside their counterparts in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghana’s calendar was fully synchronized with the regional academic cycle, with students writing the WASSCE in May/June each year. However, the disruptions caused by the pandemic led to a series of adjustments that pushed the academic calendar out of alignment.

The government, through the GES, is now taking deliberate steps to revert to the pre-COVID calendar. The 2024/2025 academic year will begin on 30th October 2024, to gradually restore the September start date for academic years by September 2025. This means that, by the 2025/2026 academic year, Ghanaian students will be writing their WASSCE in May/June 2026, along with their peers in other WAEC member countries. This regional alignment is essential for standardizing academic assessments and ensuring that Ghanaian students are not disadvantaged by an off-cycle calendar.

Additionally, the GES aims to realign the Senior High School (SHS) calendar with that of tertiary institutions, as was the case before the pandemic. A synchronized academic schedule between secondary and tertiary education is important for smooth transitions between levels, minimizing overlaps, and ensuring a more cohesive education system. For instance, delays in completing the SHS curriculum often lead to delays in tertiary admissions, which has a ripple effect on the entire education pipeline.

Breaking Down the Transition for First-Year Students

To understand the implications of the new calendar, it is essential to consider the specific case of first-year students in Transitional Calendar Schools. These students are currently completing their 2023/2024 academic year, which is scheduled to end on 28th October 2024. Upon completion, they will be promoted to Form 2 and immediately begin the new academic year on 30th October 2024.

However, there has been some misinformation circulating that suggests these students have only been in school since late September 2024, leading to fears that their promotion to Form 2 is premature. This is not accurate. In fact, these first-year students began their first semester as far back as 4th December 2023, which ended on 5th March 2024. The second semester commenced on 13th May 2024, with a break between 9th July and 27th September 2024. Therefore, these students have been attending classes throughout the year, and the timeline for their promotion to Form 2 is in line with the overall academic plan.

It is crucial to clarify that these students have had adequate time to complete their first-year studies, and the idea that they are being rushed through the academic process is not accurate. The GES has designed the academic year with careful consideration of the student’s progress and contact hours, ensuring that they are sufficiently prepared for promotion and the subsequent academic year.

The Larger Goal: Stabilising the Academic Calendar

The overarching objective of the new GES academic calendar is to stabilize the entire education system, bringing it back in line with pre-pandemic standards and regional expectations. The transition to the 2024/2025 academic year is part of a broader roadmap that will see the academic calendar revert to a September start by 2025, thereby ensuring that Ghanaian students are no longer isolated from the WAEC cycle.

This shift is also intended to improve the synchronization of SHS and tertiary calendars, ensuring that students can progress from one level of education to the next without unnecessary delays. This alignment is essential for students who are transitioning to higher education institutions, as it will reduce the backlog of students waiting to matriculate into tertiary programs, streamline admissions processes, and improve overall system efficiency.

Conclusion: A Necessary Step for Long-Term Stability

While concerns about contact hours and student readiness are valid and should be addressed through continuous engagement with stakeholders, the GES’s decision to implement the new academic calendar is grounded in a clear strategy. The long-term benefits of aligning with WAEC’s regional schedule, restoring the September academic start, and synchronizing secondary and tertiary education calendars far outweigh the temporary inconveniences and adjustments that schools, students, and teachers will have to navigate in the short term.

By the 2025/26 academic year, Ghana’s education system is expected to have fully reverted to its pre-pandemic calendar, providing stability for students, teachers, and institutions alike. This effort, though challenging, is critical for the continued success of the country’s education sector and the international competitiveness of Ghanaian students in the global academic arena.