Government to Phase Out Double-Track System in SHS by 2027 – Education Minister

The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that the government is working to end the double-track system in Ghana’s Senior High Schools by 2027.

Speaking at a meeting with members of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) in Sunyani, Mr. Iddrisu said the move is part of wider reforms aimed at strengthening secondary education in the country.

“We expect that by the year 2027, the double-track system will be a thing of the past,” he stated.

The double-track system was introduced in 2018 to manage the rise in student numbers following the implementation of the Free SHS policy. While it helped absorb the increased enrolment, it has also faced criticism for disrupting academic schedules and reducing time for student-teacher interaction.

To ensure a smooth transition back to a single-track system, the Education Minister said the government will implement key initiatives. These include revising the national curriculum and making changes to how the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) is administered.

“We are working to revise the curriculum… If the government is to succeed in ending the double-track system, not later than Monday, you should have a board so that all expenditures are properly approved by the board,” Mr. Iddrisu said.

He also stressed the government’s continued commitment to investing in education to build the country’s human capital. He noted that GETFund will play a crucial role in expanding school infrastructure to accommodate all students under the single-track system.

The meeting in Sunyani brought together heads of second-cycle institutions to address challenges in education delivery and agree on strategies to improve quality and access across the sector.