Ghana’s Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced a comprehensive plan to abolish the double-track system in Senior High Schools (SHSs) and enhance the quality of meals served to students across the country.
Addressing the media during a press briefing on the achievements and ongoing initiatives of the John Mahama-led administration, the Minister emphasized the government’s strong commitment to improving educational outcomes and student welfare.
According to Mr. Iddrisu, the Ministry is proposing the integration of school infrastructure development into the government’s flagship economic revitalization programme, The Big Push, to enable the construction of additional facilities and eliminate the need for double-track scheduling.
“Eliminating the double-track system requires massive infrastructure expansion”
The double-track system introduced under the previous administration was designed to manage student population growth by splitting the school calendar into alternating sessions. However, critics argue it compromises teaching and learning hours.
The Mahama administration has earmarked $10 billion under The Big Push to fast-track national infrastructure development. The Education Ministry hopes to leverage a portion of this allocation to complete abandoned or stalled school projects, build new classroom blocks and dormitories, and transition all SHSs back to a single-track system.
Focus on School Feeding
Minister Iddrisu also touched on the declining quality of school meals, describing it as a major concern for students and parents alike.
“We cannot allow poor nutrition to undermine student performance. Improving school feeding is a priority, and the Ministry is working to ensure meals meet acceptable standards,” he added.
The reforms are part of broader efforts to restore confidence in the public education system and provide equitable access to quality learning environments for all Ghanaian students.
