Free SHS: No serious manifesto will scrap double-track - Kweku Baako criticizes NDC manifesto

Editor-in-Chief of the New crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has questioned the research methodology of the committee that put together the NDC manifesto, specifically the educational sector.

According to him, had they done a good job, they would not have put the scrapping of the double-track system in the manifesto.

" . . truly, I thought the agitation on double track which I said was propagandist ought not to find its way into any serious manifesto if indeed the manifesto team was researching and knew that there’s a time frame; this thing is transitional..."

"It’s needless agitation but it’s borne out of the earlier targeting of double-track in order to devalue the free SHS policy . . . leading them to put it in the manifesto without seriously thinking thoroughly about it," he indicated on Joy Newsfile programme.

The NDC says even though the free SHS has come to stay, the double-track system will be scrapped when they assume office.

In its 2020 People's Manifesto, it indicated that, “we have every plan and desire to make the free SHS much better by ensuring that numerous challenges are addressed and that higher operational and academic standards are introduced and sustained. To do this, we will abolish the double-track system.”

Kweku Baako had mentioned on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo' that it will be wrong for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to scrap the double-track system.

He said even if they will scrap it, they should indicate a time frame because taking off the double-track system at once will mean 'killing' the free SHS policy.

“Double-track is essential, though a transitional feature of the Free SHS, you toy with the idea that you’ll cancel but you don’t give a time frame. I think this government gave a time frame (5 years) to phase out double-track system. This was a pragmatic reaction to a herculean task. The NDC should tell us when they will cancel the double-track system. What is the time frame, one, two, or three years? In fact, it is an unrealistic proposition, it ought not to be canvassed. If you put this in your manifesto and you proceed on that you’ll within a year collapse the system.”