Parliament Approves World Bank $300m Loan to Expand SHS Infrastructure and End Double-Track System
- Ghana's parliament has approved a $300 million loan facility directed at expanding infrastructure across the country's senior high schools
- The financing is tied to the STARR-J Project, which targets infrastructure deficits in the secondary education sector
- The initiative is part of government efforts to end the double-track system introduced under the Free SHS programme
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Ghana's parliament has approved a $300 million loan facility to fund infrastructure development across the country's senior high schools (SHSs), as part of a broader push to expand access to quality secondary education.
The financing is channelled through the Ghana Secondary Education Transformation for Access, Relevance, and Results for Jobs (STARR-J) Project, which was designed specifically to address the infrastructure gap in the SHS sector.
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According to a report by Citinewsroom, the funds will be used to construct new classrooms and upgrade essential facilities, enabling schools to absorb the rising number of students enrolling each year.
A central goal of the project is to eliminate the double-track system, which was introduced at several SHSs to manage the surge in enrolment that followed the rollout of the Free SHS programme.
Under the STARR-J initiative, selected Category C schools will be upgraded to Category B status, while existing Category B institutions will receive improvements to increase their operational capacity.
The government has stated that the investment is intended to close the gap between available facilities and current demand, ensuring that more students across the country gain access to adequate learning environments.
Government frames investment as structural reform
Officials have described the loan approval as a significant step towards resolving longstanding deficits in Ghana's secondary education infrastructure.
Beyond addressing immediate overcrowding, the project is positioned as a longer-term structural intervention aimed at raising the standard of the country's SHS system.
The double-track arrangement, which splits students into two groups that alternate between school and home learning, has drawn criticism from parents, educators and policymakers who argue it reduces instructional time and undermines educational outcomes.
The government has indicated that eliminating it remains a priority, and the newly approved facility is expected to be central to achieving that goal.
No timeline for the completion of construction projects under the STARR-J initiative has been made public.
Deadline for abolishing double-track system
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that the Education Minister announced a new 2029 target to end the double-track system.
President Mahama had previously stated in May 2026 that the double-track system would be phased out by 2027 through the upgrading of 50 senior high schools.
Source: YEN.com.gh
