The Ghana Education Service (GES) has confirmed that online and off-campus learning arrangements will form an integral part of the 2025/2026 academic calendar for Senior High Schools (SHS) and Senior High Technical Schools operating under the double-track system.
According to GES, the policy will apply mainly to Form One and Form Two students in transition schools, who will spend designated periods of the academic year outside the physical classroom.
The approach, the Service explained, is aimed at ensuring continuity in teaching and learning while preventing the loss of instructional hours during off-campus periods.
In a statement dated January 2, GES emphasised that structured measures have been put in place to support students during online and off-campus learning periods, stressing that these sessions remain a mandatory component of the academic programme.
“Management announces that provisions have been made to support online/off-campus teaching and learning for students in transition schools during the online/off-campus periods on the academic calendar,” the statement said.
To enhance the effectiveness of remote learning, GES indicated that guided projects and assignments aligned with approved textbooks will be provided to students. These will be supported by free curriculum resources available on the official platform, curriculumresources.edu.gh.
Additionally, lessons will be broadcast daily on the Ministry of Education Television channel on Multi TV. Schools that already have Learning Management Systems (LMS) have also been directed to fully activate them, with management providing the necessary technical and administrative support.
GES was emphatic that the online and off-campus periods should not be misconstrued as holidays or breaks.
“The online/off-campus periods are NOT vacations or breaks; they are counted and considered a mandatory part of teaching and learning,” the Service stressed.
As a result, heads of schools, teachers, parents and guardians have been urged to closely supervise students and ensure their full participation in all assigned learning activities.
For single-track schools, Forms One and Two students will be in school from January 5 to February 27, 2026, break from February 27 to May 3, and resume from May 4 to August 21, marking the end of the academic year. Form Three students will attend school from January 5 to February 27, break from February 28 to March 13, and resume from March 14 to June 21, 2026.
In transition schools, Form Three students will be in school from January 5 to March 31, break for Easter from April 1 to April 8, and resume from April 9 to June 21, 2026.
Form Two students will attend school from January 5 to March 15, move to online or off-campus learning from March 16 to April 17, go on vacation from April 18 to May 17, and return to school from May 18 to September 4, 2026.
Form One students will begin the academic year with online or off-campus learning from January 5 to January 30, proceed on vacation from January 31 to March 15, return to school from March 16 to May 17, transition again to online learning from May 18 to June 12, go on vacation from June 13 to July 2, and finally resume in-school learning from July 3 to September 4, 2026.
GES noted that the arrangements are part of broader efforts to maintain academic standards while effectively managing enrolment pressures under the double-track system.
