Deputy Director-General for Quality and Access of the Ghana Education Service (GES), has said that thousands of students who would have been denied senior high school education have been enrolled because of the double track system.

"If we had not implemented the double track, 181, 993 children wouldn't have gotten seats in Senior High School, though they may have qualified for enrollment," .Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh told hosts of Joy FM's Super Morning Show Friday, May 28.

He made the statement in response to concerns raised by listeners of the Show in respect of challenges associated with the free Senior High School programme.

Some parents and students had earlier in the week stated their preference to pay the fees of their wards instead of enduring the current challenges facing the implementation of the free SHS policy.

Ewurama, an SHS student who spoke to Joy FM on condition of anonymity about the challenges encountered in her school agreed with the parents and mentioned congestion in classrooms, poor nature of furniture and food served from the School kitchen as some of the challenges.

She thus implored government to allow parents who can afford to cater for the fees of their wards to be given the opportunity to do so. Ewurama explained that this would reduce the burden on managers of Senior High Schools which results from delays in release of funds by the government.

Addressing the concerns, Dr Tando assured that government will address the various concerns
raised. "We will embrace them and we will address them. The Ministry is working through the Ghana Education Service (GES), such that we are sending our planning and infrastructure team out there to ascertain where especially furniture, is needed," he said.

He also admitted that food supply was a challenge in schools and explained that the development is a result of issues with budgeting, which has now been resolved.