Known as “Government to Government Technical Support,” Kenya is seeking the support of Ghana in conceptualising and designing a double-track system that will enable Kenya to achieve a 100 per cent transition for two cohorts of learners who will transition into secondary school in 2023.

A letter signed by the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary, Professor H.O. Mahoga, CBS and addressed to Ghana’s Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, and copied to the Kenyan Principal Secretary of State Department for Early Learning and Basic Education, applauded Ghana for a successful robust educational reforms.

“I applaud you for the robust reforms that your country has embarked on and the success stories that are emerging,” the letter addressed to Dr Opoku Prempeh stated.

Invitation

By the letter, the Government of Kenya is inviting the Ministry of Education to detail at least two technical personnel to spend two weeks in Kenya to help that country to fashion out how to implement the double-track system.

“I will appreciate it if you can consider sending one or two officers to spend about 10 days in Kenya, preferably before end of March, 2020, to help conceptualise and design the double-track system,” Prof. Magoha said in the letter

Comments by Minister

Commenting on the invitation, Dr Prempeh described the invitation as a testimony of the good works of the government in the ongoing educational reforms.

“Making Ghana a learning nation demanded a transformational education reform agenda to ensure quality learning outcomes.

“Thank God we are delivering and it’s being noticed,” Dr Opoku Prempeh told the Daily Graphic.

Asked whether his ministry would respond to the request, the minister said, based on the urgency in the request, “we shall surely assist a sister African country,” adding that the team would be able to meet their deadlines.

Dr Opoku Prempeh prayed that Ghanaians would have faith in the government to enable it to continue and complete the various programmes and projects being undertaken.

Double-Track

The double-track calendar is an intervention that allows schools to accommodate more students within the same facility and is often motivated by its potential to improve overcrowding, as well as to save costs relative to new school construction in the short term.

It is an innovative approach introduced to boost enrolment and was introduced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2018 after the second year of the Free SHS policy to afford government with the capacity to deal with a large number of placed candidates who would not have had the opportunity to access Free SHS as a result of lack of classroom space.

In Ghana, the double-track system is in two sessions known as the Green Track and the Gold Track.