Double Track Gets $500m Boost

For all those believing and hoping that the newly implemented double track system would collapse, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is asking them to recheck their crystal balls.

To ensure that senior high schools across the country get the necessary infrastructure needed for the smooth running of the double track, the President announced the release of a $500 million facility through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), for the construction of new schools.

The newly secured funds would also be used for the renovation and expansion of the facilities in alread existing schools, Akufo-Addo indicated.

Delivering a Keynote Address at the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School, (PRESEC)’s 80th Anniversary Grand Durbar, held in Accra, on Saturday, President Akufo-Addo said government’s double track system will receive a great boost through the funding that has been secured.

It won’t collapse

The President therefore reiterated his faith the new system, saying, the double track will in no way mar the country’s education system as projected by “professional Jeremiahs” who would want to fill the minds of Ghanaians with falsehood.

Rather, “This system will reduce class sizes, it will increase contact hours between teachers and students as well as increase the number of holidays,” he said.

Akufo-Addo was however quick to add that, “Every new initiative that is rolled out will experience hitches and challenges, however, I’m inspired by the famous Chinese adage which says: ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step’.

Lots of criticisms have arisen since the announcement and implementation of the “double-intake” system which seeks to mitigate the challenges facing the Free SHS (FSHS) programme.

But the President said, “We have taken that first step in Ghana and we shall deal with the challenges.”

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]