He said criticisms against the double-track system were unfounded, given that it was introduced as a temporary measure to tackle accommodation challenges in various SHSs.

He said doing away with the double-track system will only imply an abolition of the free SHS policy.

“The question that we faced when we tried implementing this free SHS policy was if we do not have enough infrastructure. How can we tell whose child should stay at home and whose child should go to school? In response to this challenge, we introduced the innovative double track system as a temporary solution to the problem while we introduce new schools. This is a temporary solution while we build more and more schools to do this so I will say it is better to educate a child even under a tree than to let them be sitting at home.”

“Those who are criticizing the double-track system have not been able to offer one alternative. They will just say I will abolish the double track but they will not tell you what they will replace it with and they cannot tell you because abolishing double-track means abolishing free SHS,” Dr Bawumia said.

Ashanti Region Town Hall By HE Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia on February 11 2020.pdf (pdf, 1.14 MB)