On January 3, 2021, President Nana Akufo-Addo announced that Senior High School (SHS) 1 and 3 students will no longer follow the double-track system starting January 18, thanks to expanded school infrastructure over the past three years.
The system, however, will continue for SHS 2 students in high-demand schools until further upgrades are completed.
Purpose and Criticism
Introduced in 2018, the double-track system split students into alternating groups to manage overcrowding in public SHSs, paired with a semester system to maximize facility use. The policy drew heavy criticism from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which pledged to end it within a year if elected in 2020, arguing it compromised education quality. The government initially set a five-to-seven-year timeline for the policy’s phase-out.
School Reopening Schedule
Akufo-Addo also outlined the resumption of education post-COVID-19 closures, which halted classes in March 2020. Kindergarten, primary, and Junior High School students will return on January 15, 2021. SHS 2 and 3 students resume on January 18, while SHS 1 students start on March 10. Universities and tertiary institutions reopen on January 9.
Infrastructure Achievements
The president credited infrastructure investments, including new classrooms and dormitories, for enabling the partial end of the double-track system. The semester system will remain in place even after the policy fully ends, ensuring efficient use of school calendars. Web sources, like GhanaWeb, note that over 1,200 infrastructure projects supported this transition.
Ongoing Challenges
While the phase-out addresses overcrowding, some schools, particularly in rural areas, still face resource shortages, per Modern Ghana reports. The NDC’s critique highlighted concerns about reduced contact hours, though government data showed improved WASSCE results since 2017, suggesting the system’s benefits.
Future Outlook
The partial end of the double-track system marks a step toward fulfilling Akufo-Addo’s Free SHS policy goals. Continued infrastructure development and monitoring will be key to ensuring quality education as Ghana navigates post-COVID recovery.
