Editorial: Double-Track System Is Not Without Challenges, But Its Merits Far Outweigh Its Demerits

A former Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, has defended the double track policy introduced in 2018, describing it as the umbilical cord of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) programme, according a graphiconline story.He explained that any attempt to cancel the double track/transitional calendar would deny an estimated 1,800,000 students access to the free SHS, technical, vocational education and training (FSHS/TVET).“The free SHS was meant to give access. So, if you are going to deny people access, then you defeat the purpose of the free SHS,” the former DG of the GES said in an exclusive interview in Accra.

The double track programme was implemented in 400 SHSs across the country to address the high demand for education and the inability of existing facilities to accommodate the increase in enrolment.The double track system has, however, been criticized for negatively impacting the quality of education and student performance.

The double-track system was implemented in 2018 to accommodate a surge in enrollment following the rollout of FSHS. Ghana’s education sector, like many in developing nations, faced infrastructure constraints, making it impossible to accommodate all eligible students under the traditional calendar. The transitional calendar maximizes existing infrastructure by dividing students into two groups (Green and Gold tracks), ensuring that school facilities are utilised year-round.

The policy has allowed students from underprivileged backgrounds, particularly those in rural areas, to attend secondary school without financial barriers. In this regard, the double-track system aligns with the principles of equity and inclusion central to modern education policies.

The double-track system has directly contributed to a dramatic rise in enrollment. Data from the Ministry of Education shows that between 2017 and 2021, secondary school enrollment grew by 69%, from 361,771 to over 622,000 students.

The system opens access, granting students from underprivileged backgrounds the opportunity to transition to higher education or skilled employment. UNESCO underscores the importance of education equity in achieving sustainable development goals and Ghana’s double-track system embodies this principle.

The FSHS policy, bolstered by the double-track system, has mitigated financial barriers, a major cause of school dropouts. A World Bank report on education financing found that the average household in Ghana saves approximately GH¢2,000 annually due to free tuition, benefiting over 1.2 million families.

Internationally, countries like Kenya and India have adopted similar phased approaches to universal education, with dual-shift systems effectively addressing infrastructure deficits. Ghana’s double-track system, though imperfect, aligns with best practices in tackling access disparities amidst resource constraints.

The double-track system is not without flaws, but it is undeniably a lifeline for Ghana’s FSHS program. Ghana’s educational reforms are not just about the present; they are an investment in the future. Posterity will remember these decisions as the foundation of a more educated, empowered, and equitable society.

Contrary to fears that the double-track system compromises educational quality, available data suggests that student performance has not declined significantly. In fact, improvements in pass rates for core subjects like Mathematics and Science have been reported, suggesting that the system is capable of maintaining academic standards.

The double-track system is not without its challenges, but its benefits far outweigh its drawbacks.

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