The World Bank has approved a $300 million financing package to support Ghana’s efforts to phase out the double-track system in Senior High Schools by 2027.

The funding will be used to implement the Transformative Secondary Education for Access, Results and Relevance for Jobs (STARR-J) Project, a major education initiative aimed at expanding access to secondary education, improving learning outcomes, and addressing infrastructure challenges created by the Free SHS programme.

Announcing the approval, the Ministry of Education said the project will support investments in school infrastructure, improve learning conditions, and enhance the efficiency of the secondary education system.

According to the Ministry, a central goal of the STARR-J Project is to help government eliminate the double-track system across the country through targeted interventions that increase school capacity and improve educational delivery.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu described the project as a significant investment in Ghana’s future workforce and human capital development.

“This project is a major investment in Ghana’s growing youthful population and a strategic contribution to the country’s long-term human capital development and global competitiveness. It will help expand learning opportunities, improve school conditions, better align secondary education with the skills demanded by the labour market, and, more importantly, respond to the infrastructure deficit associated with expanded access to Free Secondary Education,” he stated.

The Ministry said the project is expected to strengthen the quality and relevance of secondary education while ensuring that more students have access to conducive learning environments.

It also expressed appreciation to the World Bank, the Ministry of Finance, and other stakeholders for supporting efforts to transform Ghana’s education sector.

The STARR-J Project is expected to play a key role in government’s broader agenda to provide equitable access to quality education and equip students with the skills needed to compete in an increasingly globalised economy.