A leading figure in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwasi Kwarteng, has sharply criticized the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) for what he describes as a “manifestation of ignorance and cluelessness” regarding the double-track system under the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
In a statement, the former Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education claimed that while in opposition, the NDC vehemently opposed the double-track system, branding it a “failure” and promising to “abolish it within the first 90 days of assuming office”.
“This is not just a U-turn; it is a glaring admission of the NDC’s lack of understanding of the very policy they demonized”.
Kwasi Kwarteng, Member of the NPP and former Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education
He emphasized that the Free SHS policy was more than a political slogan—it was a constitutional mandate aimed at promoting socio-economic progress.
Kwasi Kwarteng noted that the tremendous surge in SHS enrollment following the implementation of Free SHS inevitably strained Ghana’s educational infrastructure, a challenge not unique to Ghana but seen globally whenever access to education expands.
Yet, he stressed, Ghana demonstrated resilience and innovation by introducing the double-track system.
According to Kwasi Kwarteng, the double-track policy was not merely a stopgap measure but a strategic intervention that yielded tangible benefits.
He outlined that the system successfully reduced class sizes, improved teacher-to-student ratios, and extended teaching hours, thereby enhancing the overall quality of instruction.
Cost Benefits of Double Track
Furthermore, he argued, it generated employment opportunities in the education sector and contributed significantly to promoting gender parity in education.
Kwasi Kwarteng highlighted another often overlooked success of the policy: its role in democratizing access to elite schools such as Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC), Wesley Girls’ High School, and Prempeh College.
Traditionally seen as the preserve of a privileged few, Kwasi Kwarteng indicated that these top-tier institutions doubled their intake capacities under the double-track system, allowing many students from underprivileged backgrounds to access quality education that would otherwise have been out of reach.
The former Education Ministry Spokesperson contended that the real challenge in phasing out the double-track system has never been merely about infrastructure deficits.
“Each year, over 100,000 spaces go unused because students can’t be placed in schools they didn’t choose, despite availability. The result?”
Kwasi Kwarteng, Member of the NPP and former Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education
This, he explained, has created a persistent problem of overcrowding in a few popular schools, while others remain underutilized.
Kwasi Kwarteng maintained that unless the quality gap between schools is decisively addressed, merely constructing more classrooms and dormitories will not be sufficient to resolve the imbalance.
He applauded the previous NPP administration’s proactive efforts to bridge this gap by establishing and upgrading Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) schools and upgrading less-endowed schools to higher categories to make them more attractive to prospective students.
In his critique, Kwasi Kwarteng implied that the NDC’s lack of foresight and nuanced understanding of educational dynamics led to their earlier posture on the double-track system.
Now faced with the complexities of managing increased enrollment and infrastructural needs, the NDC government, he argued, has had no choice but to continue a policy they once pledged to dismantle.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, in a recent statement, revealed that the government is taking steps to phase out the Double-Track system at the Senior High School level by 2027.
He made this known during an engagement with members of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) at a meeting held in Sunyani in the Bono Region.
According to the Minister, it is the estimation of the National Democratic Congress government under President Mahama that the current SHS 1 students who are on the double track system would be the last batch by 2027.
Hon. Haruna Iddrisu explained that the government will undertake key reforms, including curriculum revisions and restructuring of the administration of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), to facilitate the process.
The Minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to investing in education and human capital development, noting that the GETFund will continue to play a pivotal role in enhancing school infrastructure nationwide.
It is therefore the expectation of all stakeholders in the education sector that the government will succeed in addressing the fundamental challenges of infrastructure, equity, and quality that underpin the broader Free SHS program.
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