The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, is calling on the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to take immediate steps to restore the nation’s academic calendar to its original structure prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the 2025 WAEC Distinction Awards ceremony, Mr Iddrisu stressed that returning to the traditional academic schedule is crucial for ensuring a more predictable and efficient academic environment for both teachers and learners. According to him, the pandemic severely disrupted the education sector, forcing schools to adjust their timetables to accommodate lost time. However, several years later, the country is still operating on a calendar that does not fully reflect the pre-COVID academic rhythm.
“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,” the Minister said. He added that the ripple effects of this disruption are still being felt, particularly by students who struggle with the shortened or misaligned academic timelines.
The Minister also emphasized that the current arrangement has had a negative impact on the consistency of examination dates, creating challenges in planning, preparation, and progression. He therefore urged GES and WAEC to engage in a coordinated effort to bring the school calendar in line with what existed before the global health crisis. He further called for alignment with the broader West African education framework to allow for greater consistency in examination timelines across the sub-region.
“GES and WAEC must work together to restore an acceptable calendar, one that is in sync with the rest of the West African system,” Mr Iddrisu stressed.
He also pointed out that restoring the calendar would allow for smoother transitions from basic to secondary, and from secondary to tertiary education. This, he explained, would reduce the pressure on students and ensure a more balanced academic experience across all levels.
Mr Iddrisu’s call comes at a time when many education stakeholders have raised concerns about the current academic structure, noting its impact on school reopening dates, examination preparations, teacher workload, and parental planning. Some have also suggested that the current system has widened inequalities, as schools with more resources are able to adjust more easily than others.
The Education Minister concluded by affirming government’s commitment to strengthening the education system and ensuring that policies and timelines serve the best interests of Ghanaian students. He urged all relevant institutions to act promptly and collaboratively in bringing back academic normalcy.
His statement has since drawn attention from parents, teachers, and civil society groups, many of whom share the view that a return to the previous academic calendar will restore much-needed order and consistency in the sector.