Double-track education system: Full list of schools to operate

Monday, August 20, 2018 at 6:00 AM by Chris Ndetei

There have been educational reforms in Ghana due to the prevalent situation in Ghana involving the candidates who do their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and their inability to continue with their secondary education. Statistics show that from 2003 to 2017 close to five hundred thousand students failed to get their secondary school education because they were not enrolled. In 2018 alone, it is estimated that close to twenty five thousand students undertaking their BECE will miss an opportunity to get secondary education. Due to this reason, the double-track education system Ghana was created to try and ensure more students get the education they deserve.

Double-track education system
Double-track education system Ghana
Schools in Ghana
Free education in Ghana
Educational reforms in Ghana — Source: newsghana.com

What is Ghana double-track system?

Previously the system used in the schools was a single-track system. Under this system, a school would have all its’ staff and students in school at the same time and they would go on holiday or vacation at the same time in an academic year.

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Under the double track system to be rolled out in September 2018, however, the chosen Ghana SHS will be divided into two. Not literally into two institutions but into two student bodies and staff. This will ensure that the school is always in use. Meaning that one group of students and staff will be in school while the other group is on vacation. When the group in session goes on vacation, the others on vacation will now be in session at the same school. The rotation of the groups will be dependent on the year-round school calendar that is in use by all the schools all over Ghana.

Every semester now will be undertaken for an eighty day period. Every track will be present in a learning institution for 40 days and the other forty days will be used by the other track. The forty days one track is in session will be used as the break for the group that is at home. The teachers have their motivation hours and numbers have also been affected. Previously, the teacher motivation was 20 hours but now they have been increased to seventy hours with the number of teachers expected to be increased.

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Free SHS in Ghana
Free education in Ghana
Educational reforms in Ghana
Free SHS in ghana
Ghana SHS — Source: myjoyonline.com

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What are the advantages of double-track system?

The new system is designed to ensure the spaces available for BECE candidates are increased to improve on education. Since the introduction of the free education in Ghana there have been increases in the number of people who wish to be enrolled. In 2018, for example, there are only nine thousand spaces available for the September intake.

Another advantage is the fact that the government is willing to pay an extra GHC 50 for every student per semester. This money will be used to pay for the remedial classes which will be introduced on Saturdays for two subjects; English and Mathematics. This idea came about because the government put into consideration that the new system will affect the contact hours between teachers and students. The less hours of contact will be corrected using the two remedial classes. Heads of the institutions will also be supported with incentives to carry out supervision of students during the Saturday remedial classes. The project comes after the introduction of free SHS in Ghana.

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Teachers want government to proceed with caution

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is asking the government to ensure that it is rolling out the project while at the same time exercising caution. They want education stakeholders to be involved and consulted. The teachers are of the opinion that the government needs to look at this situation in the long term basis. They noted that the project had been slated for five years after which the government assures them that they would have built more infrastructure. They want the government to assure that the project does not lead to the teachers who are added in the schools do not go jobless after the project has been completed.