GES to consult stakeholders on academic calendar adjustments

The Ghana Education Service (GES) plans to consult stakeholders regarding adjustments to the academic calendar following a teacher union strike. The Public Relations Officer, Daniel Fenyi, revealed this in an interview on October 10. Fenyi suggested that the Service would explore various measures to recover the lessons lost during the nearly two-week strike, including shortening break periods and extending regular school hours.

He emphasized that the GES will engage all relevant stakeholders to determine the most suitable solutions to mitigate the impact of the lost instructional time on the academic calendar. Fenyi cautioned the public to grant the Service and other stakeholders ample time to assess the situation and consider practical solutions before deciding on the appropriate course of action.

He also clarified that extending the academic calendar was not the sole option available to make up for the missed lessons. Alternative measures such as shortening break times or extending regular school hours were also being considered. The strike, initiated on September 25, was suspended on October 9 after negotiations between the teacher unions and government stakeholders.

The disruption caused by the strike led to concerns about schools completing their academic programs within the scheduled timeframe. If approved, the proposed adjustments would enable schools to catch up on the lessons lost during the strike while maintaining the academic calendar. However, no final decision has been made on whether the academic calendar will be extended or if alternative adjustments will be implemented.