Double-track system a very smart approach – Deputy Education Minister

About 181,000 students can now heave a sigh of relief following government’s decision to roll out the double track system in September this year at the Senior High School (SHS) level.

Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum said the initiative will solve the problem of congestion by admitting more students without any conditions.

“This is a very smart approach by government to end the cutoffs during admission of SHS students,” he stated. 

The double-track system divides the entire student body and staff into two different tracks so that while one track is in school, the other is on vacation.

Government says the double-track system is a temporary measure to mitigate the overcrowding, promising to put up more schools to deal with the situation soon.

But the double track system has been opposed by political opponents and civil society groups who believe it will disrupt the educational calendar. 

A Deputy Education Minister in the erstwhile administration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said government is just gambling with the future of the students.

But speaking Wednesday on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, Dr Yaw Adutwum said the double track system will end cutoff points during admissions.

He explained that the existence of a cut-off point for students who are admitted into secondary schools has left out many students who could not afford and, as a result, could not attain good grades because they did not attend private schools. 

Dr Adutwum who is also the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe Constituency, indicated that the system, when rolled out, will not put pressure on teachers since they have engaged additional teachers for the job.

“The double intake system will increase enrolment and decrease the pressure on teachers and the limited facilities. Students will also get the opportunity to be enrolled in their desired schools,” he added.

The Bosomtwe MP stressed that final year students have been excluded from the double track system.

Dr Adutwum is convinced the double track system is the best panacea to solving enrollment problems in the implementation of the free SHS programme.