The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) has failed to deliver on its campaign promise of ending the double-track system in the Senior High School (SHS), which was introduced by the erstwhile Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration to give more access to increasing number of students into the second cycle institutions.
In the lead up to the 2024 general election, now President John Dramani Mahama promised to end the double-track by 2027, claiming the system was not providing quality education in the country.
Again, in May this year, the President reaffirmed government’s plan to end the double-track system by 2027.
However, speaking at a news briefing in Accra on July 20, 2026, the Minister for Education, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, announced a new target of 2029 for the double-track system to end, differing from President Mahama’s earlier target.
This, he said, was being implemented through a major expansion of school infrastructure.
At the news briefing dubbed, “Government Accountability Series” Mr Iddrisu said Cabinet has approved a STAR-J infrastructure programme valued at $331 million, with Parliament expected to consider the proposal on July 21, 2026.
Mr Iddrisu said the programme would cover 210 senior high schools, senior high technical schools and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across the country.
According to him, the programme includes the rehabilitation of 112 senior high schools and 38 TVET institutions, the upgrading of 30 Category C schools to Category B and the conversion of 20 Category B schools to Category A.
The figures provided by the minister account for 200 institutions, although he stated that the programme would cover 210 schools, not immediately explaining the difference.
Mr Iddrisu said the investment was intended to address infrastructure challenges arising from increased enrolment under the Free Senior High School policy introduced in 2017.
He cited Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School and Achimota School as examples of schools where student enrolment had increased sharply without corresponding expansion in classrooms, dormitories and laboratories.
“That’s why we’re introducing the STAR-J initiative. By 2029, we should be done with double track with this intervention. Some of the double-track schools it’s just furniture. They are not asking for money. Director General of GES is here. I hear about a hundred schools. If we give them adequate furniture, they are out of double track. So it’s to coordinate the things we are doing,” he said.
The minister said the STAR-J programme would also provide new community day senior high schools at Nima and Kasoa, as well as a special needs education facility in the Volta Region.
He added that another special needs school was being considered between Kintampo and a town in the Upper East Region.
The announcement comes weeks after President Mahama said the double-track system would end by 2027 through the upgrading of 50 senior high schools, made up of 30 Category C schools to be upgraded to Category B and 20 Category B schools to Category A.
The President said the project would be financed through a US$300 million World Bank facility approved by the Bank’s Executive Board on June 16, 2026.
Touching on this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), Mr Iddrisu said he had been informed that the results were expected to be released on or before July 31, 2026.
He added that this year’s Computerised School Selection and Placement System would begin only after the release of the results, saying the change was intended to reduce favouritism in the placement process.
By Kyei Boateng
