SHS schools closing this week: Detailed calendar, what parents need to know before the next academic year

Nii Ayitey Brown 17:27 - 17 August 2026

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GES directs SHS schools to observe Easter break, vacation for SHS 1 students continues till June 2023 -

SHS students on the Single Track calendar close on August 21, while Transitional schools close on September 4. Here are the key 2026 dates parents should know.

Single Track Form One and Form Two students are scheduled to close on August 21, 2026.
Transitional Form One and Form Two students will remain in school until September 4, 2026.
The 2026/2027 SHS academic year officially begins on September 18, 2026, according to the finalised GES calendar.

Senior High School students in Ghana are entering the final stretch of the 2025/2026 academic year, but the closing date depends on whether a school operates under the Single Track or Transitional calendar.

For Single Track SHS 1 and SHS 2 students, the academic year ends on Friday, August 21, 2026. The Ghana Education Service (GES) calendar states that they have been in school from May 4 to August 21.

Students in Transitional schools, however, will remain in school longer. SHS 1 and SHS 2 students in the transitional system are scheduled to end the academic year on Friday, September 4, 2026.

This means parents should not assume that every SHS student will be going home this week. For Transitional schools, Form 1 and Form 2 remain until September 4, 2026.

For SHS 3 students?

Final-year students have already completed their academic year under the 2025/2026 calendar.

For both Single Track and Transitional schools, SHS 3 students completed their scheduled school periods on June 21, 2026, following the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) period. The 2025/2026 WASSCE was scheduled from April 20 to June 20.

Parents of former SHS 3 students should now turn attention to outstanding school matters separately from the general reopening arrangements for continuing students.

School reopening dates?

An important change for parents to note is that the GES has released the approved 2026/2027 academic calendar, which sets Friday, September 18, 2026 as the start of the new academic year for SHSs and Senior High Technical Schools.

Under the new calendar, Single Track SHS 1 and SHS 2 students will begin the first semester on September 18 and remain in school until January 29, 2027. SHS 3 students will also begin on September 18, but their academic year will run on a different schedule because of preparations for WASSCE 2027.

GES has also released separate arrangements for Transitional schools, including periods of classroom teaching and online or off-campus learning. Parents of students in such schools should therefore check the calendar that applies specifically to their child's school and form.

2025/26 Calendar

What parents should confirm before their child leaves school

With the closing dates approaching, parents should not rely only on information circulating on social media or in parent WhatsApp groups. Before a child leaves school, parents should confirm directly with the school:

1. The exact closing date

Ask the school to confirm whether the student is under the Single Track or Transitional calendar and the exact date for reporting home.

2. Results, reports or academic records

Parents should ask whether report cards, continuous assessment results or other academic documents are ready for collection and whether any documents must be collected physically from the school.

3. The next reopening date

Parents should confirm when the student is expected to return. This is particularly important for Transitional schools because their schedules include different in-school and off-campus periods.

The simple notice every parent should have

To avoid confusion, parents should ask each school for a clarify any confusion and uncertainty regarding Student's form, school calendar (Single Track or Transitional), closing date, outstanding financial obligations, documents/results available for collection, and the exact reopening/reporting date for the 2026/2027 academic year.

This notice can help parents avoid using the wrong closing or reopening date, especially where a school operates under the Transitional system.

The GES has urged school authorities, parents and students to follow the approved academic calendar as preparations begin for the 2026/2027 school year. The new calendar also sets the 2027 WASSCE period for April 6 to June 18, 2027.

Education