The academic calendar for pre-tertiary schools in Ghana has experienced ongoing disruptions since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2019, prompting annual adjustments over the past six years. In a bid to address the issue, the current Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to collaborate in restoring the original academic schedule.
Before the pandemic, Ghana’s academic calendar for basic and secondary schools typically spanned from September to July. This arrangement also ensured that the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) was held prior to the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) each year.
Addressing participants at the WAEC Distinction Awards ceremony, the Minister stressed the need to revert to the original timetable. “I am using this platform to reiterate our strong desire to see the restoration of the academic calendar for both the BECE and WASSCE to its pre-COVID schedule,” he stated.
Mr. Iddrisu expressed concern over the continued shifts in the academic calendar, noting the negative impact on the educational progression of students. “We are not particularly happy that since COVID, our academic calendar has affected the seamless transition of students to the next layer of their career development,” he noted.
He further urged both GES and WAEC to work together in developing a consistent calendar that aligns with the broader West African educational system. “GES and WAEC must work together to restore an acceptable calendar, one that is in sync with the rest of the West African system,” the Minister emphasized.
This appeal underscores the pressing need to establish a stable and predictable academic timetable, ensuring that students across Ghana and the sub-region can transition smoothly through their educational pathways without unnecessary delays.