Mahama reiterates government’s commitment to end double-track SHS system

President John Dramani Mahama says his administration is committed to phasing out the Double-Track System in Ghana’s senior high schools (SHSs) by the end of 2027.

He said the target was for all schools to operate a single-track calendar, allowing students to attend and vacate school at the same time.

According to the President, ending the system would increase contact hours between teachers and students and help improve educational outcomes.

President Mahama made the remarks during a citizens’ engagement in Wa, which marked the climax of his two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper West Region.

The President said the Government had secured a US$300 million facility from the World Bank to support efforts to eliminate the Double-Track System.

The system was introduced to accommodate more students in senior high schools using existing infrastructure, but it has been criticised for reducing classroom contact time and disrupting school calendars.

Addressing broader challenges in the education sector, President Mahama said his administration inherited a Free Senior High School programme that had been introduced without a dedicated funding source.

He said schools consequently relied on budget releases that were often delayed, leading to complaints from headmasters about inadequate funding and food shortages.

“As a result, schools depended on delayed budget releases every year. Headmasters constantly complained about inadequate funding and shortages of food,” he said.

The President said some schools had been forced to feed students with whatever food items were available because supplies did not arrive regularly.

He added that the Government had since established dedicated funding for senior high schools and student feeding programmes.

“Today, we have established dedicated funding for Senior High Schools. We have also created dedicated financing for student feeding, and complaints from headmasters have reduced considerably,” he said.

President Mahama also addressed public discussion surrounding the latest West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.

He declined to debate the statistics, saying the figures were available for public examination, but expressed satisfaction that the results reflected students’ genuine performance.

He attributed the outcome partly to improved invigilation and a reduction in organised examination malpractice.

“The era when students felt entitled to leaked answers and attacked teachers who enforced discipline must remain behind us,” he said.

“Our children must succeed because they have learned, and our teachers must teach with integrity,” he added.