The Ghana Education Service (GES) has scrapped the two-day mid-term break scheduled for November 5 and 6, 2026, for basic schools nationwide as part of efforts to recover instructional time lost during the recent teachers’ strike. In a notice released on Monday, November 2, the Service directed all basic schools to continue with regular academic activities on Thursday, November 5, and Friday, November 6, instead of closing for the scheduled mid-term break.
The decision is intended to provide additional teaching and learning hours to compensate for lessons disrupted by the nationwide industrial action, which kept teachers out of classrooms for almost two weeks. GES has therefore urged teachers, pupils, parents and guardians to take note of the revised schedule and ensure that students report to school as usual on the two days.
The strike was declared on September 25, 2026, by three pre-tertiary teacher unions: the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG). The unions embarked on the industrial action over unresolved concerns involving teachers’ promotions, outstanding salary arrears, allowances and conditions of service.
The strike was suspended on October 9 following negotiations involving the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, and the Council of State. Teachers were subsequently instructed to resume classroom duties on Monday, October 12, after the unions reached an agreement with the government on timelines for addressing some of their outstanding demands.
The industrial action disrupted academic activities in public schools across the country, raising concerns about lost instructional hours and the possible implications for the academic calendar. GES says the cancellation of the November mid-term break is part of measures to make up for the lost teaching time and ensure that academic activities remain on track. The Service has appealed to all stakeholders in the education sector to cooperate and comply with the revised schedule.
