Mahama: Gov’t to build 16 new SHSs to help end double-track system
The government is constructing 16 new Senior High Schools (SHSs) as part of efforts to address overcrowding in existing schools and ultimately phase out the double-track system.
President John Dramani Mahama said the projects are being undertaken under a programme supported by a newly approved US$300 million World Bank facility.
According to him, the additional schools will expand infrastructure and accommodate more students, easing the pressure on institutions currently operating the double-track system due to limited facilities.
President Mahama disclosed this during an inspection of ongoing Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) projects at Han Senior High School.
He also announced plans to convert selected Senior High Schools in rural communities with large catchment areas into boarding institutions. The move, he explained, is intended to reduce the burden on students who have to travel long distances to attend school.
President Mahama said the policy would involve a more targeted application of the community day school model, which he believes is better suited to densely populated communities where students can conveniently commute from home.
In contrast, he noted that schools in rural areas often serve communities scattered over large geographical areas, making daily travel to and from school difficult for students.
He explained that the government therefore intends to maintain the community day concept in high-density areas while converting rural schools with extensive catchment areas into boarding institutions, allowing students to live on campus and access education more conveniently.
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