The Legal Director of the United Party (UP), Andrew Appiah-Danquah, has expressed support for the government’s three-year plan to phase out the double-track system from Ghana’s secondary education.
He has commended the government’s consistency on the programme, stating that it has not deviated from its stance on the policy since its opposition days.
His comments come in response to the Minority’s criticism of the three-year timeline announced by the government to discontinue the policy, with the opposition indicating that the period is too long, considering the government’s previous criticisms of the idea when it was in opposition.
Speaking on the BigIssue segment on the NewDay morning show on TV3 on Monday, November 17, 2025, Appiah-Danquah noted that the government has been consistent, and a three-year timeline is reasonable, given the infrastructure deficiencies that need to be addressed.
“I don’t think that their decision to end the double-track system in three years’ time is any departure from their position,” Appiah-Danquah said. “They have always maintained that, while they support the Free SHS, its implementation should be staggered due to the physical implications.”
He added that the government’s plan is consistent with its previous projections. “I think they’ve shown consistency in their thinking and projection that it will take about three years to stop the double-track system. They need to invest in infrastructure, and according to their fiscal strategy, it will take them three years.”
Appiah-Danquah further stated that the government’s allocation of 3 billion to education in the current budget is a clear indication of its commitment to addressing the infrastructure challenges.
“Given that they’re allocating 3 billion to education in this budget, it’s clear that it’s part of their plans, and not all the money is going towards Free SHS,” he explained.
The Minority’s criticism followed the government’s announcement that it plans to end the double-track system in all senior high schools by 2027, as part of reforms aimed at expanding access and improving quality in Ghana’s secondary education sector.
Presenting the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025, Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, said the phase-out would begin in 2026 with targeted investments in infrastructure, staffing, and teaching resources to restore full-time schooling for all students.
Dr Forson told Parliament that the government would complete 30 abandoned E-Block projects and upgrade 40 existing senior high schools nationwide to create additional classroom space and reduce overcrowding, the main factor behind the double-track system.
“From 2026, government will implement an education expansion plan to phase out the double-track system and ensure every Ghanaian child attends school full-time,” he said.
He added that the Ministry of Education would work with the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and the Ghana Secondary Learning Improvement Programme (GSLIP) to deliver the projects on schedule.
Dr Forson said teacher recruitment, classroom furniture, science laboratories, and ICT facilities would be prioritised to improve the quality of teaching and learning outcomes nationwide.
The double-track system, introduced in 2018 to manage increased enrollment under the Free Senior High School policy, divided students into alternating cohorts due to limited infrastructure. While it expanded access, it faced criticism for disrupting academic continuity and overburdening teachers.
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