Introduction: Key Dates for the 2025/2026 Academic Year

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has officially released the academic calendar for the 2025/2026 academic year, providing essential dates for Kindergarten, Primary, and Junior High Schools across the country. This schedule will guide the academic activities of students and educators throughout the year.

Term Breakdown and Vacation Periods

The GES calendar outlines three terms, each with specific start and end dates, as well as vacation periods to ensure students get the necessary breaks.

• First Term: September 2, 2025 – December 18, 2025
• The first term will kick off on September 2, 2025, and end on December 18, 2025. A mid-term break is scheduled from October 31 to November 3, 2025. Afterwards, students will have a vacation from December 19, 2025, to January 7, 2026.
• Second Term: January 8, 2026 – April 1, 2026
• The second term will begin on January 8, 2026, and conclude on April 1, 2026. A vacation will follow from April 2 to April 20, 2026.
• Third Term: April 21, 2026 – July 23, 2026
• The third term will commence on April 21, 2026, and finish on July 23, 2026, followed by the final vacation of the academic year.

Important Examination Dates

One of the key highlights of the 2025/2026 academic year is the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), scheduled to take place from May 4 to May 11, 2026. This examination is a crucial milestone for students in their educational journey.

Public Holidays and Mid-Term Breaks

The GES emphasised that all public holidays during the academic year must be observed. Additionally, each term will include a two-day mid-term break, providing students and teachers with an opportunity to rest before continuing their educational activities.

Acknowledging the Success of the 2024/2025 Academic Year

In a statement, the GES acknowledged the collective efforts of school heads, teachers, parents, and students in making the 2024/2025 academic year a success. The current academic year will officially conclude on July 24, 2025, marking the end of another productive year.

Call for Preparation and Readiness

GES has urged all stakeholders—school heads, educators, parents, and students—to take note of the 2025/2026 academic calendar and prepare adequately for the year ahead. A well-prepared start will ensure a smooth and productive academic year.

Accra, Ghana — Professor Patience Aseweh Abor has made history as the first female full professor at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), marking a significant milestone in the school’s academic journey.

Prof. Abor, a distinguished scholar in health and management sciences, joined the University of Ghana as a Graduate Assistant in 2007. She rose through the ranks, becoming Associate Professor in 2021, and now earns the esteemed title of full professor — a testament to her extensive contributions to teaching, research, mentorship, and university administration.

But her story goes beyond the academic realm.

Known in artistic circles as Wegeiwor, Prof. Abor is also a celebrated musician, actress, and social advocate, using creative expression to inspire, empower, and educate. Drawing from her Upper East roots, her music blends gospel with traditional Ghanaian rhythms, often exploring themes of identity, womanhood, healing, and cultural pride. Her soulful voice and messages of hope have earned her a loyal fan base across generations.

Her artistry extends to acting, with appearances in stage and screen productions — notably with Sparrow Productions — that spotlight societal issues including gender, family, and communal challenges.

A Life of Impact Beyond the Stage

Prof. Abor is the founder of the ExGlo Foundation (www.exglo.org), a non-profit dedicated to promoting education and health in underserved communities. Through ExGlo, she has positively impacted thousands of children and adolescents by providing them with school supplies, mentorship, health outreach, and empowerment programs.

Despite her intensive academic workload, which includes PhD supervision and international research collaborations, she continues to lead wellness seminars, give motivational talks, and perform on both rural and urban platforms.

“People ask me how I manage it all. The truth is, I don’t see my roles as separate. Whether I am in the lecture hall or on stage, I am teaching, healing, and leading,” she shared in a recent conversation.

Currently serving as a visiting professor in both the UK and the USA, Professor Abor’s influence extends across global academic and cultural circles. Her advocacy for holistic wellness — encompassing mental, emotional, educational, and spiritual development — makes her a rare blend of intellect and heart.

To many, the name Wegeiwor is more than an artistic pseudonym — it’s a powerful symbol of resilience, purpose, and compassion.

The National Identification Authority (NIA) has revealed that more than 822,000 Ghana Cards are still awaiting collection. Despite the completion of the registration process for over 18 million Ghanaians, a significant number of cards remain unclaimed.

A Growing Backlog

During a recent press briefing at the NIA headquarters in Accra, Williams Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, the Head of Corporate Affairs at NIA, expressed concern over the backlog of uncollected cards. He emphasised the need for registered individuals to visit their respective collection centres promptly and collect their cards.

Importance of the Ghana Card

The NIA continues to underscore the importance of the card as a critical identification document. It plays a vital role in accessing various services and fulfilling civic responsibilities. To prevent any delays, the NIA is urging all registered individuals to act promptly and retrieve their cards from the designated collection centres nationwide.

The NIA is committed to reducing the number of uncollected cards and improving the efficiency of the national identification process. By ensuring that individuals promptly collect their Ghana Cards, the authority aims to strengthen the national identification system further.

Newly graduated officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) have been charged to show unwavering dedication to protecting the nation’s borders, especially in the face of rising transnational threats.

Addressing graduates at the second passing-out parade of Recruit Intake 30 at the Mid-Country Training School in Tepa, Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DCOI) Francis Palmdeti emphasized that “integrity, professionalism, and vigilance must guide your service to the nation.”

He commended the recruits for enduring the rigours of training, which, he said, were designed to shape them into resilient and disciplined officers ready for frontline duties. Palmdeti reminded them that the Immigration Service plays a vital role in Ghana’s national security, particularly in dealing with cross-border crimes and complex migration challenges.

“The discipline and vigilance you’ve acquired here must now reflect in how you carry out your duty to Ghana,” he told the new officers, encouraging them to uphold the trust reposed in them.

He also lauded the Commandant and instructors for their role in shaping the recruits, describing their efforts as crucial to national stability.

The ceremony, which featured a well-coordinated parade and awards presentation, saw Recruit Officer Mark Selorm Awuku honoured as the overall best recruit.

The event was attended by the Tepamanhene, Nana Adusei Atwenewaa Apem, his Queen mother, sub-chiefs, district officials, and representatives from other security services.

The graduation of Intake 30, Palmdeti noted, is a testament to the Ghana Immigration Service’s continued commitment to strengthening border management, migration control, and the overall protection of Ghana’s sovereignty.

The National Service Authority (NSA) has released PIN codes for 132,393 eligible graduates for the 2025/2026 service year. Registration begins today, June 17, and will run until July 1, 2025, giving prospective personnel just two weeks to activate their PINs and complete the online registration process.

To activate their PIN, applicants are required to pay GHS 40 at any ADB Bank branch or GHS 41 via MTN Mobile Money. Registration can be done through the NSA portal at smarthub.nss.gov.gh, where users can retrieve their PIN codes and follow detailed instructions.

The NSA advises all applicants to complete their registration as soon as possible and utilize available support tools to prevent delays or potential disqualification.

National Service is a mandatory one-year program for all graduates from accredited tertiary institutions. Coordinated by the NSA, it aims to instil discipline, promote national development, and offer practical experience before entering the job market. Completing the service is legally required and often a key factor in securing employment in both public and private sectors.

At the Passing-Out Parade of Recruit Course 125 at Ankaful Prison Officers’ Training School in the Central Region, the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, emphasised the urgent need for correctional reform in Ghana. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming the prison service into a modern facility that prioritises rehabilitation, reformation, and reintegration of inmates.

The Minister highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to expand vocational training, educational programs, and productive inmate enterprises, all of which reinforce the principles of rehabilitation and reformation. He emphasised that correctional facilities must evolve into centres of reform rather than merely detention centres.

He explained that “empowering an inmate with employable skills is not an act of charity but a strategic investment in national security and human capital.” According to the Minister, providing inmates with marketable skills reduces their likelihood of re-offending. He emphasised that rehabilitation and reformation should be tied to purposeful activities, ensuring they occur in an environment that fosters change.

To implement this vision, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak announced plans to scale up government support for prison-based ventures. These will include activities such as carpentry, tailoring, agriculture, and industrial operations like bottled water production, forming the backbone of a self-sustaining correctional economy.

The Minister also directed all institutions under the Ministry for the Interior to prioritise purchasing bottled water and toilet rolls produced by the Ghana Prisons Service. This initiative, he said, would help alleviate the financial burden on the state, generate revenue, and promote inmate productivity.

Reassuring the leadership and personnel of the Ghana Prisons Service, the Minister emphasised the government’s unwavering support. He noted that the commitment goes beyond improving logistics and infrastructure to reforming the very foundations of correctional practices in Ghana.

Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak urged the newly graduated officers to serve with integrity, compassion, and professionalism. He reminded them that their actions would reflect the high standards of the prison service and the trust the nation has placed in them.

The University of Ghana has sanctioned 115 students for various acts of misconduct and examination malpractice following a decision by the Academic Board. A notice from the Office of the Registrar, dated June 16, 2025, outlines the range of sanctions, including suspensions, expulsions, grade penalties, and reprimands.

Disciplinary Actions

The sanctions are divided into two categories: general misconduct and examination-related offences. Fourteen students, including Mr Abdul-Yakini Lukman and Mr Daniel Ansah, were suspended for two academic years due to “disorderly conduct and failure to observe the orders of University authorities,” as per Statutes 42(1)(a) of the University of Ghana Statutes 2011. These suspensions are retroactive, covering both the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic years.

Examination-related offences made up the majority of the cases. Students like Mr Christian Owusu Yeboah and Ms Linda Attah Lambongyi were expelled for impersonation during exams. Other students, such as Mr. Ramsey Akoto Junior, received a Grade Z for leaving the examination hall with answer booklets. Possession of unauthorized materials, such as mobile phones and written notes, led to penalties ranging from Grade X to Grade Z, depending on the severity.

Notable Cases

Mr. Eugene Nimo Obeng was suspended for one semester and received a Grade Z for possessing unauthorized materials and sharing his answers with another candidate. Ms Lilian N.L. Miller faced a similar suspension and Grade Z for repeated offences involving unauthorized notes during exams.

Ms. Fatimah Iddriss and Justice Nii-Amo were reprimanded for rudeness toward invigilators and inappropriate communication during exams, respectively.

University’s Stance

In the notice, signed by Registrar Mrs Emelia Agyei-Mensah, the university emphasized the importance of adhering to university regulations. “All students are advised to familiarize themselves with the University’s regulations and conduct themselves in a manner befitting members of our community,” the notice stated. It was distributed to all university employees and students, with copies sent to senior administrators.

Find the entire notice below:

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced the inclusion of 25 private Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the 2025 Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) under the Free SHS policy. This marks the first time private SHSs have been incorporated into the Free SHS programme since its launch in September 2017.

The GES aims to improve access to quality second-cycle education, particularly in regions where public senior high schools (SHSs) are overcrowded. The selected schools, categorised under Category E, are co-educational day institutions spread across all 16 regions. They offer a variety of academic programmes, including General Arts, General Science, Business, Technical, Visual Arts, Home Economics, and Agriculture.

According to Mr Prince Agyemang-Duah, Director of the Schools and Instruction Division, the deadline for school selection has been extended to Wednesday, June 25, 2025, to provide candidates with sufficient time to consider the newly added options.

The GES statement emphasised that this initiative reflects the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to ensuring equity and access to education. The pilot programme will be monitored and evaluated for potential future expansion.

In the following steps, selected schools will undergo capacity-building and assessments to meet the operational standards of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy. The Ministry, GES, and the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) will collaborate on training, oversight, and infrastructure support where needed.

This expansion of the Free SHS programme, in partnership with GNACOPS, focuses on private institutions in areas where public schools cannot accommodate all qualified students due to infrastructure constraints.

Find the complete list of the selected schools below.