Ghana: 2019/20 Academic year postponed to 2021

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has postponed the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year to January 2021.

The decision to postpone the academic year which was brought to a halt in March due to the Coronavirus pandemic in the country was taken after further consultations with stakeholders.

Second year Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS) students, would however, return to school from October 5 to December 15 to complete their academic year.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, made this known Sunday in his 16th address to the nation on measures taken to control the spread of the Coronavirus disease.

“The Ghana Education Service after further consultations has decided to postpone the remainder of the academic year for all nursery, kindergarten, primary, JHS1 and SHS1 students. The next academic year will resume in January 2021 with the appropriate adjustments made to the curriculum to ensure that nothing is lost from the previous year,” the President said.

“The relevant dispositions will also be made so that the presence, at the same time, in schools of all streams of students, can occur in safety,” he added.

JHS 2, SHS 2 return to school October 5

The President noted that JHSs would operate with a class sizes of 30 while SHSs would operate with a class sizes of 25.

He added that the students would be in school for 10 weeks to study and write their end of term examinations.

President Akufo-Addo further noted that prior to reopening, all schools would be fumigated and disinfected.

He said as part of measures to control the spread of the Coronavirus, all the students would be given reusable face masks like was done for the final year JHS and SHS students who reported to school earlier in the year.

JHS two students will also be given one hot meal a day.

“SHS 2 students in boarding houses are to return to their various dormitories on 5th October, whilst day students, respecting fully the COVID-19 protocols, will commute from home to their respective schools on the same date. Prior to reopening, all Junior and Senior High Schools will be fumigated and disinfected.

Just as was done in the case of final year university, JHS and SHS students, all JHS 2 and SHS 2 students, as well as all teaching and non-teaching staff, will be given reusable face masks. Each school will be provided with Veronica Buckets, gallons of liquid soap, rolls of tissue paper, thermometer guns, and 200 milli-litre containers of sanitizers. JHS 2 students will be given one hot meal a day,” President Akufo-Addo added.

Source: www.graphic.com.gh