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Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh
Education Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku says the Double Track system that accompanied the Free SHS policy saved some 100,000 qualified students from failing to gain admission to upper secondary school.
He said these students, if it weren’t for the dual track system, would have stayed home even though they got admission to various SHS because there were no spaces to accommodate them.
“Double Track is not a system in which someone wants to impose themselves on school children. The system made it possible for 100,000 Ghanaian students who had qualified but were not going to school so far, ”he said.
After the government implemented the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, it introduced the two-way system to make places available to schools to house more students.
Two shift systems, Gold and Green Tracks, were introduced for students to alternate times of being in school. However, there have been calls for the government to abolish it.
The two-track system has been the subject of intense criticism, especially from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The system has been criticized for claims that students spend limited time in schools compared to the previous system.
In his 2020 Manifesto launch, NDC flag bearer John Mahama said that if he gains power, he will cancel the System.
Former Education Minister and running mate of Mr. Mahama, Professor Naana Opoku-Agyemang, said the next NDC administration will improve Free SHS policy.
According to her, they will include private schools in the policy but without the two-way system.
But in a meeting with the Rotary Club Ghana, Dr. Opoku Prempeh dispelled claims that the System is no good.
He said students currently with Double Track spend nearly the same hours in school as they did with the old system.
“In the old system, students stayed home for five months of the 12-month calendar and with the dual track, students stayed home for 6 months.
“In the old system, the total contact hours per year was 1,035 hours, while with the new system it was 1,140 hours. So it is not true that the double track has reduced contact hours, “he said.
In addition, he noted that the government is seeking to end the system by building more schools, however, the dual track will remain a solution in the meantime, while the infrastructure challenge is resolved.
“The society that does not create opportunities for the poor will probably create opportunities for murder and all the social ills that we are talking about. That is why it is necessary to find a way for everyone to go to school.
“Kenya has come to copy us later and is thinking of doing the same next academic year because it takes time to build the infrastructure. When we estimate it, it would take us five to seven years [to build more schools],” he said.
Meanwhile, the NDC in its manifesto said that they will abolish the system when they receive the go-ahead as a new government in the next elections.
