President Mahama vows to end double track system in all SHSs by 2027

President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to fully abolish Ghana’s controversial double-track system in senior high schools by 2027, describing it as a key priority under a major education reform agenda supported by a $300 million World Bank facility.

Speaking in Accra on May 13, the President said the policy goal would be achieved through the Transformative Secondary Education for Access, Results and Relevance for Jobs (STARR-J) project, which is expected to significantly expand and upgrade secondary school infrastructure across the country.

He stressed that the initiative is not only about increasing school capacity but also about improving quality, equity, and access to education for all Ghanaian students.

“By 2027, there should be no secondary school implementing a double track system in Ghana,” President Mahama stated. “The STARR-J project is going to assist the Ghana government achieve its target of bringing an end to double track in our secondary school system by next year.”

The STARR-J programme will support the upgrading of 50 senior high schools nationwide. Under the plan, 30 Category C schools will be elevated to Category B status, while 20 Category B schools will be upgraded to Category A level, effectively expanding infrastructure and academic capacity across the system.

The double-track system was introduced in 2018 following a surge in enrolment triggered by the Free Senior High School policy introduced in 2017. Under the system, students were split into two groups—commonly referred to as the Green Track and Gold Track—attending school in alternating cycles to reduce overcrowding.

While the policy expanded access to secondary education, it has faced sustained criticism from parents, educators, and policy analysts over issues such as disrupted academic calendars, reduced contact hours, and pressure on teaching and learning outcomes.

President Mahama noted that part of the STARR-J intervention will also involve reviving the community day senior high school concept through the construction of new E-block facilities in selected urban and peri-urban areas. He explained that this approach would help reduce pressure on boarding facilities.

“If we get some of the children to go to school within their communities, it will ease the pressure on the boarding schools that are elsewhere,” he said.

The programme will also invest in teacher development, including continuous professional training, digital literacy, and integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence into teaching and learning.

President Mahama further announced reforms to teacher career progression, indicating that promotions within the education sector will no longer depend solely on the availability of administrative positions.

“Teachers can now progress on merit, competence, experience, performance, and years of dedicated service,” he explained.

In addition, the government has allocated GH¢1 billion from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to complete stalled infrastructure projects in schools currently operating under the double-track system, as part of broader efforts to transition the system toward full abolition by 2027.