They acknowledged the need to expand access to SHS education lauding the free SHS initiative, but argued that the double track system might not lead to improved education outcomes at the SHS level in the country.

They, therefore, suggested that government should complete the community-day SHSs project started by the previous government and post some SHS students to those schools to help end the double track system.

The town hall meeting was organized by the Ministry of Information in partnership with the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) to engage citizens in the Metropolis on government’s flagship programmes and projects in the country.

Other participants said a market constructed by TaMA at Kakpayili, a suburb of the Metropolis, was not being used because it had not been inaugurated, urging the TaMA to open the facility for business to serve the purpose for which it was constructed.

Mr Pious Hadzide, a Deputy Minister for Information, said the government could not wait to build additional infrastructure before admitting students into SHS because such projects took time to complete.

Mr Hadzide assured that government would work to complete the community-day SHS project to help in admitting more SHS students. He spoke about the government’s performance since assuming office, saying “In assessing what this administration has done in the two years in power, there is no argument that what we said we will do, is what we have accomplished and continue to work on to ensure we accelerate growth and development without leaving anyone behind.”

Mr Alhassan Baba Ahamed, Acting Coordinating Director of TaMA, made a presentation on the projects carried out by TaMA since 2017, saying TaMA had undertaken a number of projects including the construction of a KVIP, a market centre and a CHPS compound.