We’ll address challenges with Gold Track – Free SHS secretariat

The Free Senior High School Secretariat has given assurances that it will look into all the issues raised concerning the gold track group of the double track system.

Students placed in the second batch of the double track system known as Gold Track, began reporting to their various senior high schools on Saturday.

The system, which forms part of the free Senior High School programme (SHS), began in September 2018 and saw students in the first batch, the Green Track attending school for two months.

However, some heads of senior high schools have raised some concerns about the lack of adequate resources and space to accommodate the second batch students of the double track system.

But in an interview with Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of the Free SHS Secretariat, Josberta Gyan Kwakye, said her outfit has taken note of the challenges and will have them resolved.

“We are currently discussing procurement for some items. So if these schools have requested for these items, then we will take it up from there.”

“With the computerized School Selection and Placement System, students are placed in schools they want to be. So if for one reason or the other, the student realized that the school is far away from their locality, they should speak to the head teacher of that particular school, if there is vacancy for boarding, something can be worked out from there”, she stressed.

Gold track students

Over 60% of students on the Gold track have been able to register with their respective schools.

Students placed under the Gold track waited within the two months period when their colleagues under the Green track were in school.

Although they are now beginning their academic year, they are also expected to vacate in December 2018.

About double track

The government rolled out the Free SHS policy in September 2017 in fulfillment of its campaign promise in the build-up to the 2016 general election.

The policy has so far increased enrollment in senior high schools by about 90,000 students.

But less than a year after its implementation, a number of challenges such as the non-availability of space forced the government to adopt a new mode of operation for second-cycle institutions – the double track system which took effect in September 2018.

Education Ministry deploys over 7,000 staff for Gold Track

The Ministry of Education had earlier said it has deployed over 7,000 teaching and non-teaching staff to various Senior High Schools across the country for the gold track system.

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source: citinewsroom