Long vacations under Ghana’s Double Track System are driving many young girls into early marriages, according to Senior High School (SHS) graduates now working as head potters in Accra.

Rukiya, a recent graduate and head potter, popularly known as a "Kayayo," narrowly escaped this fate.

Her life took a drastic turn during one of the extended vacations caused by the Double Track System.

With no school to attend and too much idle time at home, she found herself on the brink of being forced into marriage.

The pressure from her family and community was overwhelming, and she realised she had to act quickly to avoid a future she didn’t want.

“I was part of the Green Track under the Free SHS system. When our track was on vacation, the Gold Track would take over, leaving us with months of idle time.

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This system doesn’t give us enough time to study, and when you’re home for three months, the risk of being forced into marriage is very real,” Rukiya recalled. “They would come with a truck, tie you up, and take you away to be married off. It’s not helping us at all. I knew I had to escape, so I fled to Accra.”

Once in Accra, life was tough. Rukiya struggled to find a place to sleep and to make ends meet. However, she was determined to finish her education.

“I was able to complete school in 2022, despite all the challenges. When school resumed, I would travel back to Kumasi, where my school was located. When we vacated, I would return to Accra to work and survive.”

Rukiya acknowledges the benefits of the Free SHS policy, but she believes that the Double Track System needs to be re-evaluated to protect young girls from being forced into early marriages during extended vacations.

“I want to be somebody in the future,” she stated firmly, “and I know there are many other girls like me who need more time in school, not at home where they’re at risk.”