MoE reveals the number of SHSs taken off double-track as of 2024

The Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for the Bosomtwe constituency, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum says about 65 per cent of public Senior High Schools (SHSs) as of late this year have been taken off double-track system

In an interview monitored by Pretertiary.com, the Education Minister said the construction of infrastructures in various Senior High Schools in the country has made it possible for the majority of schools to transition to the single track.

“Majority of the Senior High Schools have been taken off double-track. Tamale Senior High School (TAMASCO) is off double-track and Opoku Ware School in due course will also be off the double-track system,” he said in the interview.

The Minister added “As I speak to you now, 65% of the government second-cycle schools across the country are not doing the double track. We are hoping by the end of this year over 70 Senior High Schools will be single-tracked.”

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum’s update on schools currently running double-track comes after he in the 2022 academic year said Senior High Schools on the gold and green (double-track) system are now in transition to single-track system.

The Minister for Education said the central government will phase out the double-track system currently run in some public Senior High Schools to contain the high number of student enrollment when more buildings are constructed.

“Majority of the government Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the country are actually single track, about 333 thereabout are double track, the rest are single track, they reopen the same day and close the same day,” Yaw Adutwum told GBC.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister for Education, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour last two years said the double-track introduced to contain enrolment in public Senior High Schools amid Free SHS has been suspended for the 2022 academic year.

“Arrangements have been made to ensure that more infrastructure is provided in schools to absorb more students and ensure that more students are admitted into the free senior high school program,” Mr John Ntim told Okay FM.

The Deputy Education Minister however said government Senior High Schools without enough structures to suspend the gold and green track system will have only one batch to be on vacation instead of the previous system.

“Schools without enough facilities to absorb the current system will have only one batch to be on vacation. ie. If first years are on vacation, you still have second and final-year students in school,” the Deputy Education Minister stated.

The Assin South Member of Parliament indicated the central government’s decision to abolish the double-track system follows prudent and strategic planning in the construction of educational infrastructure in schools across the country.

But, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education (MoE), Kwasi Kwarteng contrary to the Deputy Education Minister’s comment said the double-track system has not been completely scrapped from the various Senior High Schools.

The Public Relations Officer in a post sighted by Pretertiary.com clarified that the double-track system introduced to contain enrolment in public second-cycle schools has been eliminated for first and second-year Senior High Schools.

“What it means is that all Form 1 and Form 2 students will go to school each as one cohort not divided into two. As more buildings are completed entire school populations will report to school at the same time as one cohort,” he said.