The New 2024 SHS Academic Calendar Changes Will Surely Affect BECE Graduates, Current SHS 1 and 2 Students, And More Importantly, Teachers.
We hinted at changes to the 2023-2024 academic calendar for SHS1 and SHS2 students in an earlier publication, along with the anticipated start date for SHS1 students who are 2024 BECE graduates. While we all wait for an official update from the Ghana Education Service, let us look at the likely impact of the calendar on students.
The new SHS Academic Calendar changes for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic year
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Monday, 28th October 2024 | SHS2 students leave for vacation after completing end-of-semester exams. |
| Monday, 28th October 2024 | SHS1 students end the academic year and are promoted to SHS2 on the same day. |
| Wednesday, 30th October 2024 | Admission of 2024 BECE graduates into SHS1 begins. |
| Before 30th October 2024 | BECE results are expected to be released prior to the SHS1 admission date. |
Read: New SHS Academic Calendar Changes: Key Dates Updated For BECE Graduates, SHS1 and SHS2 Students
2024 SHS Academic Calendar Changes And Its Impact on 2024 BECE Graduates
The information contained in the details sighted by Education-News Consult would not have any effects on BECE graduates because they are yet to start their SHS education.
If the date of 30th October is accurate, it indicates that the graduates will begin their SHS education soon, having completed their BECE exam on July 15.
Parents and students should note that not all BECE graduates will be placed and may need to self-place when school placements are released.
What does the promotion mean for current SHS1 students?
While the promotion of SHS1 students to SHS2 on October 28th is a positive development, it marks the first time at the SHS level that this promotion will occur without the customary vacation break. The standard practice is that students vacate and report to school to start a new term or academic year.
However, in order to accommodate the new SHS 1 students and prevent them from falling behind, these students will continue to attend school until December, when they will be required to leave. This system of transition for students in secondary school will save parents money in terms of transportation if the students return home, especially if they just reported to school not long ago.
Parents will need to provide additional financial resources and stock up on groceries to meet the basic needs of their learners, who will now be SHS2 and SHS3 students.
The impact on SHS teachers.
Teachers who teach at second-cycle schools need rest to help them replenish their well-being and health. They also need vacations to take care of personal commitments, and some teachers would have to either be in school for their sandwich or distance education program during vacation. The school year ends on the 28th, and the new school year automatically begins the following day, depriving teachers of their much-needed vacation and rest. This can create not only health problems but also prevent teachers from taking care of other personal commitments they have to undertake during vacations.
Teachers who may be affected by the changes in the academic calendar would have to be extra careful with their health and boring social life as a result of the instant start of the 2024-2025 academic year for SHS1 and SHS2 students who will be promoted to SHS2 and SHS3, respectively, and instantly.
A call on the GES
Through the GES, the government must be proactive and responsible, ensuring that when they release the official 2024-2025 academic calendar for second-cycle schools under the single and transition tracks, they also consider the potential future implications. Third parties like WAEC should proactively budget for financial obligations and release funds ahead of time for school resources like food, clothing, and furniture, ensuring an incident-free academic year.
Any failure to show leadership in such matters will temper the academic calendar and compel the GES to alter it. This could lead to issues and unexpected changes in the academic calendar, such as the one that is scheduled for October 28, 2024. The 2024 SHS calendar changes will surely have an impact on all stakeholder.
READ: 2024 BECE results out soon as GES starts uploading school selection data
Frequently Asked Questions FAQs:
When will SHS1 and SHS2 students vacate to end the 2023-2024 academic year?
The students who are currently in SHS1 and SHS2 will vacate on 28th October 2024 to bring the 2023-2024 academic year to an end.
Will SHS1 and SHS2 students leave school for home after ending the 2023-2024 academic year?
It does not look like they will be leaving school. Per the information sighted by Education-News Consult, students will be promoted to SHS2 and SHS3 on October 28, 2024, and will start the first term of the 2024-2025 academic year instantly after their end-of-year examination.
When will 2024 BECE graduates’ admission into second-cycle schools start?
We expect the admission to begin on 30th October 2024. However, the BECE results will be released, followed by school placement, before students can be enrolled in second-cycle schools.
We want to put on record that the details provided per the above 2024 SHS Academic Calendar Changes in this publication are yet to be officially communicated by the GES.
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