VACATION CLASSES IN GHANA: IMPACT, CHALLENGES, AND THE WAY FORWARD.

As the school term ends in Ghana, a familiar pattern resumes. From south to the North, parents enroll their children in "vacation classes"—extra lessons, remedial sessions, that fill the long breaks. The concern driving this practice is real and urgent. Ghana's 2025 WASSCE results showed a sharp decline, with Core Mathematics passes dropping from 66.86% in 2024 to 48.73%, and Social Studies from 71.53% to 55.82%. Furthermore, the 2024 National Standardised Test revealed that only about 60% of Primary Four learners met minimum proficiency in reading, and 65% in mathematics.

Due to this, vacation classes appear as a logical solution. However, the central question is not whether they should exist, but how they should be organized to truly benefit learners without causing harm. A well-planned vacation programme is purposeful, moderate, and learner-centred. It addresses specific learning gaps, supports targeted groups and measures real improvement. But when poorly managed, it creates stress, widens inequality, commercializes education and robs children of essential rest, social cohesion and family time.

Five key reasons vacation classes are increasing include the following. Firstly, the declining examination performance is a major concern contributing the rampant vacation classes. The most immediate driver is the fear of poor results. With more than half of WASSCE candidates failing Core Mathematics in 2025, parents and schools see extra lessons as a necessary rescue measure yet, examination failure often stems from larger systemic issues, viz: overcrowded classrooms, insufficient teaching materials, weak foundational skills and poverty, which vacation classes alone cannot fix.

Secondly, persistent learning gaps have paved way for the vacation classes. Many learners struggle with concepts that others grasp quickly. A child who has difficulty with fractions, reading comprehension or scientific reasoning may need individual attention that the ordinary classroom cannot always provide. The challenge is more severe for children from disadvantaged communities. UNICEF has reported that access to education in Ghana is relatively high, but the quality of learning remains weak after years of under-investment in basic education, and children become more likely to drop out as they advance through school. In some northern districts, a 2025 census by Africa Education Watch reportedly found that more than 22% of Ghana’s out-of-school children were concentrated in the Northern Region, with older adolescents particularly affected. This means that vacation education must not serve only children in affluent urban communities. If only families who can pay private fees benefit, vacation classes may widen the very inequalities they are intended to reduce.

Thirdly, Ghana’s education system is increasingly expected to prepare learners for a digital and technologically driven economy. In July 2026, the Minister of Education announced that a revised Kindergarten-to-Junior High School curriculum was being prepared for consideration by government. The proposed direction includes stronger attention to technology, science, engineering, mathematics, coding, electronics, artificial intelligence and TVET. Vacation classes can provide a practical space in schools which have the tools for introducing these areas. In this way, vacation learning becomes more than repeated examination drills.

Vacation classes reduce learning loss. Long school breaks may cause some learners to forget skills, particularly reading, writing and numeracy. A carefully designed vacation programme keeps students intellectually engaged without reproducing the full pressure of the regular school timetable. Evidence from education programmes across Africa suggests that targeted remedial, bridging, catch-up and accelerated-learning programmes can improve outcomes for vulnerable learners and reduce repetition and dropout. The important word is targeted. A general class for everyone may be less effective than a diagnostic programme that identifies exactly what each learner does not understand.

However, vacation classes carry real risks. Over-scheduling leads to physical and mental exhaustion, anxiety, and loss of interest in learning. When lessons become compulsory and fee-charging, they create financial burdens for struggling families. The commercialization of vacation teaching, where schools profit from remedial instruction, undermines the principle of free, equitable education. Moreover, children in rural areas without electricity, textbooks or qualified teachers are left behind, while city schools offer w-equipped classrooms and computer labs. This creates a two-speed system where wealth, not ability, determines success.

In conclusion, to make vacation classes a genuine benefit, Ghanaian schools must adopt the following principles: First, programmes should be voluntary and purposeful, not compulsory. Parents must receive clear information about costs, content, and expected outcomes. Second, instruction should begin with diagnostic assessments to identify each learner's specific gaps, so that grouping is based on need, not age or class. Third, classes should balance academics with creativity and play, incorporating sports, arts, and outdoor activities to keep children refreshed. Fourth, schools must train and supervise teachers to use differentiated instruction, peer learning, and local materials—never corporal punishment or humiliation. Fifth, equity must be prioritised by offering free or low-cost programmes in deprived communities, supported by community reading camps, mobile libraries, and volunteer tutoring. Finally, accountability is essential. Schools should compare pre- and post-programme assessments, monitor attendance, and report progress to parents and district education offices. Success should be measured by real learning gains, not by fees collected or hours spent in class.

The Akan proverb, "Sɛ wopɛ sɛ wodi adeɛ a, ɛsɛ sɛ wosua adwuma", if one wants to succeed, one must learn and work. But learning must be balanced with health, family, and rest. Vacation classes, when properly designed, can be part of a fair and effective education system—provided they serve all children, not only those who can pay. The support must come from government, teachers, parents, communities, and learners themselves, together climbing the tree of quality education.