President John Dramani Mahama says government has secured a 300 million dollar financing package from the World Bank to expand infrastructure in senior high schools and permanently end the double track system by end of 2027. He announced the deal in Accra while outlining plans to decongest classrooms and improve learning conditions across the country. The intervention targets dormitories, classrooms and laboratory blocks in high pressure schools.
The double track system was introduced in 2018 to manage excess enrolment following the Free SHS policy which increased transition from junior high school to senior high school from 70 percent to over 90 percent. Under the system, students are divided into Green and Gold tracks and alternate semesters to share limited facilities. While it expanded access, it created calendar disruptions and learning gaps for many families.
Mahama said the 300 million dollar package will finance new infrastructure to eliminate the need for shift learning and restore a single track academic calendar. The project will prioritize schools with over 2000 students and chronic accommodation deficits. Government will also recruit more teachers and provide furniture to match new buildings, according to President John Dramani Mahama who stated that ending double track will improve contact hours and academic outcomes.
The Free SHS policy is a flagship programme that absorbs tuition, feeding and core textbook costs for public senior high school students. It has increased enrolment from about 800,000 in 2017 to over 1.3 million in 2025, putting pressure on the Computerized School Selection and Placement System which posts BECE candidates to schools. CSSPS uses merit and choice guidelines to match students to schools, while WASSCE grading by WAEC uses 8 grades from A1 to F9 to determine tertiary qualification. Ending double track will allow schools to return to a unified syllabus and continuous assessment cycle.
The World Bank financing is expected to be disbursed in phases tied to construction milestones and will be implemented by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Trust Fund. Energy Commission licensing, Environmental Protection Authority permits and district assembly approvals will be required for new buildings to meet safety standards. Galamsey laws and land use regulations will also guide site selection to avoid building on waterways and degraded lands.
Stakeholders have welcomed the move and called for transparent procurement and community monitoring of projects to ensure value for money. Parents say a stable calendar will reduce cost of repeated trips and improve supervision at home. Government says it will publish a list of beneficiary schools and timelines by December 2026 as part of its Reset Agenda for education.
Source: #Howedey.com
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Author: Korkor Anumu
