By KT Reporter

The Ministry of Education and Sports has released next year’s school calendar outlining the academic schedule for primary, secondary, and post-primary institutions as the 2024 academic year draws to a close.

According to the calendar, signed by the new Permanent Secretary Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda, learners in primary, secondary, and post-primary institutions will spend at least 262 days in school next year.

The calendar shows that the first term will commence on February 2, 2025, and run for 89 days, ending on May 2. Learners will then break for a 23-day holiday before resuming for the second term on May 26, which will continue until August 22. The final term will begin on September 14 after another 23-day holiday and conclude on December 5, making the third term slightly shorter than the previous two. The ministry further noted that the 2026 academic year will start on February 8, 2026.

The academic calendar dictates that P.7 leavers will be placed in their secondary school of choice between January 27th and 28th. Normally, the selection and placement process commences a week after the examination results are announced. Senior One students are scheduled to report to their respective schools on February 10th. Senior Four placements will take place between February 6th and 7th, with Senior Five learners reporting to school on February 24th.

The Ministry also advised that all school open days, visitation days, and other annual functions during the academic term should be determined by individual schools and institutions. “Teaching and learning should start promptly at the beginning of each school term, and the school terms should not be cut short without prior written permission from the Permanent Secretary,”  the calendar reads in part.

Despite such annual warnings and directives, compliance with the school calendar remains a challenge, particularly among private schools, which constitute the majority of institutions in the country. Every year, the Ministry warns against early closures and late openings, yet these guidelines are often ignored. For instance, the current calendar stipulates that the 2024 academic year should end on December 6. However, some schools have already closed, while others plan to conclude the term this week, effectively cutting learning time short by several weeks.

This practice, coupled with delayed openings, effectively shortchanges students and parents of valuable learning time. While the Ministry strives to ensure adherence to the calendar, effective enforcement remains a challenge.  Another warning accompanying the calendar provides guidelines on the specific learner/teacher contact hours: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM for primary schools, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM for pre-primary schools, and 8:00 AM to 2:45 PM for secondary and post-primary institutions.

However, this schedule is also often abused, with many schools—particularly private ones and those in urban areas—starting lessons as early as 5:00 AM and continuing until as late as 9:00 PM, leaving little to no time for learners to rest. This time around, the Permanent Secretary has emphasized that non-adherence to the calendar will result in disciplinary action against the implicated head of the school or institution. Despite this warning, the specific penalty or likely consequences for non-compliance have not been disclosed.

In addition to primary and secondary schools, the calendar also provides schedules for health training institutions, teacher colleges offering upgrading courses, and TVET institutions. According to the schedule, the Ministry has set the deadline for TVET applications for diploma courses as May 30, 2025. The selection and placement will take place between June 9 and 14, conducted on a regional level, with new trainees expected to report for Year One on August 31.

For vocational training institutions offering certificate courses, the application deadline is set for February 21. The selection process will occur between February 24 and 25, and learners will be required to report to school on March 10. Meanwhile, the calendar also outlines plans for physical exercise activities, beginning with a nationwide launch on February 14. However, it does not include provisions for music, dance, and drama activities-URN.