Free SHS: Double-track system abolished – Deputy Education Minister

Deputy Education Minister, Rev. Hon. Ntim Fordjour, has disclosed that the double-track system of the free Senior High School policy has been abolished.

According to him, there will no longer be red, yellow and green tracks as it was previously.

Hon Ntim Fordjour, however, pointed out that, “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 still in school.”

He revealed this to Kwame Nkrumah Tikesie on Okay FM.

Decongesting Senior High Schools

The double-track system under the New Patriotic Party’s flagship Free SHS programme was introduced with the sole aim of reducing congestion in the various second cycle institutions.

But the policy was widely criticized by stakeholders in the education sector, especially members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

THe NDC argued that the policy compromises the quality of education students at the Senior High School level receive.

Prudent & Strategic Planning By Gov’t

Speaking in an interview on Okay Fm’s “Ade Akye Abia” morning show, the Assin South Member of Parliament pointed out that the decision to abolish the double-track system follows the government’s prudent and strategic planning in the construction of educational infrastructure nationwide.

He reiterated the government’s commitment in the provision of quality education with respect to the free SHS policy.

“Further arrangements have been made to ensure that more infrastructure are provided in schools to absorb more students and ensure that more students are admitted into the free senior high school program,” he disclosed.

The Free Senior High School (FSHS) program was implemented in September 2017 to provide hope to children who otherwise could not have furthered their education after junior high school mostly due to cost barriers.

In the 2016/17 academic year, the number of children who qualified and had been placed in senior high school but could not enrol stood at 11,336 out of a total of 420,135 who were placed.

With the government’s determination that no child should be left behind, the Double Track (DT) system was introduced after consultation with stakeholders. The DT aimed to tackle the issue of increased student demand with limited infrastructure in many preferred Senior High Schools across the country.

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