Double Track students will have same benefits regarding extra-curricular activities - Gov't

Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum says the Double Track system is not going to affect extra curricula activities.

There were fears that students enrolled on each track of the double track system will not be able to participate in competitive sporting and other extra-curricular activities.

The new system, which creates a calendar of two semesters in a year for the SHS 1 class, containing 81 days per each semester and 41 days of vacation for a sandwich class, will run in all the categories A and B senior high schools in the country.

Over 8,000 teachers are being recruited to handle the sandwich classes, so teachers are not be deprived of their holidays.

Under the new system, teaching hours are increased from six hours per day to eight hours per day.

Among the infrastructure needs are 622 six-unit classroom blocks at the cost of GH?404 million, 181,993 student desks costing GH?81.6 million, and 3,730 teachers’ furniture estimated at GH?3.6 million.

Allaying fears of students and parents while interacting with Kwami Sefa-Kayi, host of Peace FM's morning show ‘Kokrokoo’, Monday, Dr Adutwum said the double track system is rather going to encourage sporting activities especially for students on break because they will be able participate without any pressure.

“All the students on the two tracks will have the same benefits as far as sporting activities, debate and other curricular activities are concerned…the inter-schools and colleges’ athletics and other cultural activities would not change,” he added.