Abolishing Double-Track May Restrict Access to Free SHS – Education Minister Cautions
The Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has cautioned that eliminating the double-track system under the Free Senior High School (SHS) initiative could reduce access to secondary education for many students.
This statement follows the opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), announcing plans to abolish the double-track system as part of its proposed reforms to improve the Free SHS policy.
Discussing the current state of Ghana’s education, Dr. Adutwum emphasized that the government is making efforts to expand school infrastructure to eventually phase out the double-track arrangement.
“I hear people say they will abolish double track, and I think to myself, they don’t understand what they’re saying. If you remove double track at Prempeh College today, the school wouldn’t be able to enroll a single additional student,” he noted.
The Minister highlighted that due to the high student population accommodated by the double-track system, its removal could lead to limited enrollment opportunities for new students.
“If I cancel the track at Opoku Ware today, no Form One student could enroll because the school currently has 4,500 students divided into groups, with only 300 on campus at any given time. Without the double track, 1,500 students who would be admitted this year would have no space, making it impossible for them to attend,” he explained further.
Dr. Adutwum’s remarks underline the challenges the government faces in balancing the Free SHS policy’s accessibility while addressing infrastructure constraints.
