by ATTA YVETTE

Secondary school students across the country will return to classrooms later than originally planned, as the resumption of the third term has been pushed back to April 27 a decision made by the Minister of Education in consultation with the Prime Minister.The third term had been scheduled to commence on April 20, but the revised date means students will now resume a week later than anticipated. While the postponement is a logistical adjustment, education stakeholders have moved swiftly to reassure parents and students that the academic impact will be minimal.

Impact on the Academic Calendar

Under the standard academic structure, the third term typically provides six weeks of instruction, three of which are dedicated to active classroom teaching. With the new resumption date, one of those teaching weeks has been lost, reducing active instruction time to two weeks. This translates to an estimated reduction in syllabus coverage of between 5% and 10%, according to school administrators.However, school heads have been quick to note that this shortfall is manageable. By the close of the second term, most students in effective schools are expected to have already covered approximately 85% of their coursework. The one-week delay is therefore unlikely to leave students significantly underprepared.

Examination Classes Unaffected in Their Core PreparationFor examination candidates particularly Form 5 students and Upper Sixth formers preparing for the General Certificate of Education (GCE) the disruption is expected to be even less pronounced. These students will not resume to new syllabus but will instead transition fully into revision mode. Many schools have already begun conducting remedial and intensive classes for examination candidates during the break period, ensuring continuity in their preparation. Teachers in most secondary schools are reported to have maintained regularity and are said to have already covered the bulk of the syllabus ahead of schedule, further cushioning the impact of the delay. Schools in Communication with ParentsSchool administrations have been proactive in communicating the changes to parents. Messages have been sent out outlining the readjustments and reassuring families that necessary steps are being taken to safeguard student performance. Follow-up communications are ongoing to keep parents informed as the new term approaches. As April 27 draws near, the education community remains focused on ensuring that the shortened term delivers the same quality of preparation particularly for those sitting national examinations in the weeks ahead.