Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, Minister of Education
Minister of Education, Mathew Opoku-Prempeh has justified government’s decision to introduce the Double Track System under the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme beginning from September, this year.
According to the minister, the Double Track System, which has caused heated political debate is a “bailout” and “temporary” initiative aimed at catering for the increasing enrollment figures that have come about as a result of the introduction of the free SHS programme.
Speaking to the media at the Meet The Press Series organized by the Ministry of Information on Tuesday in Accra, Dr. Opoku-Prempeh stressed that it was necessary to introduce the Double Track System to ensure that no qualified Ghanaian child desirous of going to high school was left behind because of non-availability of classroom blocks or learning facilities.
He said: “The Double-Track Calendar is a temporary intervention until the needed infrastructure is in place,” saying “the Double Track School Calendar is an intervention that allows schools to accommodate more students within the same facility, and is often motivated by its potential to reduce overcrowding, as well as to save costs relative to new school construction in the short term.”
Dr. Opoku-Prempeh stated emphatically that it was the intention of the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration that “no qualified child should be left behind.”
He explained that the objectives of the Double Track School Calendar are: “to create room to increase enrolment, reduce class sizes, increase contact hours and increase the number of holidays.”
Criticisms
Critics, including former President Mahama, have sharply kicked against the Double Track System.
Mr. Mahama, who has always kicked against the free SHS for political reasons, tweeted on July 25, 2018, on the Double Track System: “Introducing shift system for SHS?” It doesn’t help to continue to implement this all important free SHS programme on an ad hoc basis. It’s not too late to hold a comprehensive national consultation to forge a consensus on a sustainable framework for its implementation. #Ghana.”
Risk
But giving the enrolment trends for SHS from 2013 to 2017, the Minister indicated that a total of 181,993 qualified Ghanaian children, especially from poor homes, who depend solely on the Free SHS to advance their education, risk being denied the opportunity to get enrolled in schools this year at the SHS level, without the implementation of the Double Track System.
Gap Analysis
An analysis of the 2018 gap in enrolment, the Minister pointed out, showed that available seats for SHS 3 leavers was 277,537; additional seats created 13,200; total seats available 290,737 and seats needed 472,730, leaving a gap of 181,993.
Enrolments in public SHS in 2017 which was the first year of the Free SHS programme reportedly stood at 361,771.
Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) registration in 2017 was 468,060 but has increased in 2018 to 521,710.
Proposed Options To Bridge Gap
He indicated that government before settling for the Double Track System had looked at other options to close the gap, by investing in infrastructural development, but was quick to add that “even if we have all the funds, we cannot build quick enough for 2018 entrants.”
As part of the options, he said government was seeking to collaborate with development partners; get a partial securitization of GETFund Receivables for Infrastructure Development; transition to system and the Double Track System.
Extra Classes Fee
He stated that government has also decided to further ease the burden of parents at the SHS level by choosing to pay for every student under the extra class fee policy should teachers in public schools across the country opt to organize extra classes for SHS students.
According to him, government was going to pay GH¢50 per student for about 111,495 students across 696 SHSs at a total cost of GH¢55,824,750.
Furthermore, the Minister indicated that 8,872 teachers were going to be gainfully employed by government to facilitate the Double Track System and that unit cost per teacher per annum was going to be GH¢30,120, giving a total of GH¢267,236,989 for all 8,872 teachers to be engaged.
He intimated that additional fund of GH¢55,824,750 will be needed and when that is added to the GH¢267,236,989, the total will be GH¢323,061,739.
By Melvin Tarlue