Former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has explained that Ghana’s double-track education system was partly inspired by the year-round schooling model used in California in the United States.
Speaking during an interview, Dr. Adutwum said the system was introduced to address the challenge of accommodating increasing numbers of students within limited school infrastructure.
He explained that the concept was influenced by educational models where schools operate throughout the year, with students organised into different groups and schedules to make better use of available facilities.
According to him, the double-track system was therefore not developed without precedent but was adapted from approaches used in other education systems.
“If you don’t understand, you criticise,” Dr. Adutwum said, urging critics to first understand the circumstances and principles behind the policy before assessing its effectiveness.
The double-track system was introduced as part of efforts to expand access to secondary education and reduce pressure on school infrastructure, particularly following the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme.
Dr. Adutwum maintained that understanding the reasons for its introduction was important in evaluating both its achievements and challenges.
