The Government of Ghana has reaffirmed plans to phase out the double-track system in Senior High Schools (SHSs) by the end of 2027, as part of efforts to reduce congestion and improve teaching and learning across the country.
President John Dramani Mahama, speaking during his Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper West Region, said the government’s target is to ensure that no Senior High School in Ghana is still operating the double-track system by the end of 2027.
The double-track system was introduced in 2018 to help schools accommodate increased student enrolment following the expansion of the Free SHS programme. Under the arrangement, students are divided into groups that attend school at different periods of the academic year.
Why Government Wants to End Double Track
According to President Mahama, eliminating the system would allow students within the same schools to attend classes and go on vacation at the same time.
The government also expects the change to increase teacher-student contact hours and contribute to improved learning outcomes.
However, ending double track requires additional classrooms, dormitories and other infrastructure because many of the schools currently using the system have large student populations.
$300 Million Facility to Expand SHS Infrastructure
The government says a $300 million World Bank facility will support efforts to expand secondary-school infrastructure and reduce congestion.
According to the Presidency, the programme includes expansion work at overcrowded schools as well as the construction of 16 new Senior High Schools to provide additional capacity.
Earlier in 2026, the government also outlined plans under its secondary education transformation programme to upgrade selected schools, expand access and improve teaching quality.
In August, President Mahama said the government was investing about GH¢3 billion in secondary education under the programme, with eliminating congestion and the double-track system among its objectives.
Expansion of Existing Schools
Government’s strategy is not limited to constructing new schools.
Facilities at schools that remain on double track are expected to be expanded so they can accommodate their student populations at the same time.
At Han Senior High School in the Upper West Region, for example, President Mahama inspected ongoing GETFund projects and announced plans to provide additional boarding facilities.
The government has also indicated that community day schools will continue to play a role, particularly in densely populated areas where students can travel between home and school more easily.
What Ending Double Track Could Mean for Students
If the government’s plan is completed as announced, students who would otherwise have been placed on different academic tracks would return to a common school calendar.
This would mean students in the same school could:
- attend school during the same academic periods;
- have a more uniform academic calendar;
- potentially receive increased classroom contact time; and
- use expanded school facilities intended to accommodate the larger student population.
The Ghana Education Service has said efforts to phase out double track are intended to improve teaching and learning while maintaining access to secondary education.
Target Is the End of 2027
The latest commitment follows similar statements made by the government earlier in 2026.
President Mahama stated in May that the government intended to eliminate the double-track system by 2027, and he repeated the target during his Upper West Region tour in September.
The success of the plan will therefore depend heavily on whether the proposed new schools, classroom blocks, dormitories and other infrastructure are completed quickly enough to accommodate students currently served through the double-track arrangement.
For students and parents, the next year will be important as the government works toward its stated goal of returning Ghana’s Senior High Schools to a more unified academic calendar.