The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced that 99 Senior High Schools (SHSs) currently operating under the double-track system will return to the traditional single-track system when the 2025/2026 academic year commences in October 2025.
This major reform is part of the Mahama administration’s educational transformation agenda, highlighted in the GES publication titled “20 Education Achievements in 8 Months.”
Background: Why the Double-Track System Was Introduced
The double-track system, introduced in 2017 under the Free SHS policy, was designed to increase enrollment by allowing two separate cohorts of students to attend school in alternating sessions.
While the system helped accommodate larger student populations, it had several drawbacks:
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Reduced contact hours between teachers and students.
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Shortened academic terms, leading to rushed syllabi coverage.
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Increased financial burden on parents, who often paid for vacation classes to cover gaps in learning.
Critics have long argued that this arrangement negatively impacted the quality of tuition and overall academic performance.
Which Schools Will Double-Track SHSs to RESET Back to Single Track?
The GES, while announcing the change from double to single track for the 99 schools, it failed to list the specific schools that will be changing over to the singel track schools. The public will be looking forward to that critical information in the coming days. The goverment is expected to announce the 99 schools before when the 2025 BECE School placements are released on 17th September, 2025.
99 Double-Track SHSs to RESET Back to Single Track in October: Government’s Promise to End Double Track
Prior to the 2024 general elections, President John Mahama pledged to address the double-track system. Just eight months into his administration, the GES has confirmed that 99 schools will officially revert to single track in the upcoming academic year.
This change is expected to:
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Extend the number of instructional days.
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Improve teacher-student interaction.
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Enhance learning outcomes and examination readiness.
Inclusion of Private SHSs in Free SHS Policy
To support the transition, the government has also incorporated nearly 60 private Senior High Schools into the Free SHS programme.
This move is aimed at:
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Decongesting public SHSs by distributing enrollment more evenly.
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Leveraging the infrastructure and resources of well-established private schools.
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Ensuring students benefit from quality teaching and adequate learning facilities.
Implications for Students and Parents
The return to single-track schooling is expected to reduce the long stay-at-home periods associated with double track and ensure better use of instructional time.
Parents, in particular, will experience reduced costs on extra classes since students will spend more time in school receiving formal tuition.
READ: Mahama’s 20 Education Achievements in 8 Months: Too Good To Be True?
The GES announcement marks a significant milestone in Ghana’s education reform, signaling the government’s commitment to improving the quality of teaching and learning.
With the transition of 99 schools back to single track and the inclusion of private SHSs under Free SHS, the 2025/2026 academic year could be one of the most transformative in recent history
Source: BECEPrep Educational Research Team
Providing data-driven education news insights and resources for Ghana’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). For free mock exams and study guides, visit beceprep.com..
