About 500 dual desks and a 12-unit classroom block have been presented to the Nalerigu Senior High School in the North East Region as part of steps by the government to end the double-track system in senior high schools in the country. 

Several other infrastructure projects intended to ensure quality secondary school education are at various stages of completion in the school. 

The Nalerigu Senior High School is the oldest and biggest second cycle institution in the North East Region with a current student population of 2,500.

For many years, the school has faced several challenges such as inadequate accommodation, classroom space and lack of teaching and learning resources.

The situation, however, has worsened with the introduction of the Free Senior High education.

The provision of the desks became necessary following reports of students in the school studying on the floor and sleeping outside their dormitories due to congestions.

Regional Minister, Solomon Boar, presenting the desks to the school authorities announced the donation was a personal contribution from the vice president, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who hails from the area.

At a short gathering in the school, the Regional Minister said the donation also highlights the government's commitment to eliminating the tracking system as well as sustain the Free Senior High school initiative.

The Regional Minister thanked the Vice President for the gesture while urging the students to take their lessons seriously.

The challenges with the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy precipitated the introduction of the Double-track system to temporary replace the single track practice, in order to enable various Senior high schools in Ghana to take more students and ensure that all Ghanaian students have access to senior high school education.

Also speaking at the event attended by staff, students and few community stakeholders, the headmaster, Mohammed Tibila, said as a result of the donation the school could reverse to the single-track system by February subject to the completion of other infrastructure projects ongoing in the school.

"Through this donation, children will no longer pair chairs or seats in the classroom, he declares.” And we are also on the path towards running a single-track school in the North East Region.

"We are also grateful to the government for a number of intervention projects that are currently ongoing in the school. The projects are; 12-units classroom block which is completed, 12-seater toilet facility and the boys' dormitory project, it’s also at the lintel stage."

In order to run a smooth single-track system, the headmaster made more requests, pleading most importantly, for a school bus, water storage facilities and a befitting assembly hall.

"Despite these projects are ongoing on campus, Nalerigu Senior High School being the best and the biggest [in the North East Region], we still have some number of challenges.

"One, we don't have any reliable means of transport for students learning outside the classroom. Two, water story facilities are not enough for the students. We also need a 12-unit classroom block in order to expand enrollment in the school. We need an assembly hall, a befitting assembly hall that would be used for the conduct of morning assembly and also for exams."

Some students who spoke to JoyNews expressed relief but said conditions in their dormitories and classrooms were still deplorable.