Gov’t can't raise GHS1bn to build new Classroom blocks – Napo

Government may have coughed up someone billion cedis for the increased enrollment for its Free Senior high School policy without the double track system, according to Education Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

Addressing a News Conference today in Accra today, August 07, 2018, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh said besides the financial constraints, government did not have the luxury of time to put up new infrastructure to absorb the intake associated with the programme.

“…Between June and September when these facts became clear, we realised that even if we had 1 billion cedis, there is no way we can construct 622 classroom blocks and fix it for occupation before the middle of September.”

Despite the barrage of criticisms on the double track system, government maintains that it’ll work smoothly, insisting that it has consulted widely on the programme.

Several stakeholders like the National Association of Graduate Teachers(NAGRAT) say they’ll resist moves by government to shove down the throat of teachers, the implementation of the double track system policy which it seeks to roll out in September.

While it acknowledged the enormous pressure on the ministry of Education and the need to deal with a gap of one hundred and eighty-one thousand students resulting from the quantum increase in students emerging from the Free SHS policy, the Association argues stakeholders’ engagement on the double track system is nonetheless crucial for the best way out.

Government has announced that it is set to roll out its double Tracking System which will be similar to the semester mode of learning applicable in the universities at the SHS level.

The objectives of the Double-track School Calendar are to create room to accommodate increase in enrolment, reduce class sizes, increase contact hours and to increase the number of holidays.