What does the double-track/semester system for SHS mean!

  Recently there has been hot controversies among politicians in Ghana  following the disclosure made by the Honourable minister of education Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh about government's intention to adopt the double-track or semester system for Senior high schools in Ghana.

Some politicians especially the minority has argued strongly that the system is totally bad and that its going to break down the entire senior high education in the country,
On the contrary, government has maintained that the system is not going to interfere in the effectiveness of teaching and leaning but rather going to create more space at the Senior high schools.

This two fold argument caused me to commence a research to find out what the system is actually about and its pros and cons.

                       BACKGROUND
Free Senior High Education was one of the main campaign messages and social intervention programs of the Akufo Addo led NPP during the electioneering period.

Upon gaining political power in 2017, President Akuffo Addo rolled out the program that same year increasing enrollment with about Ninety thousand more students as compared to previous years,

This means that without the free SHS 90,000 qualified students couldn't have had access to Senior high education because of financial problems.

One year into the implementation of the flagship program, a new set of students is expected to be placed in the Various Senior high schools.

Upon noticing that the anticipated number of students to be placed far exceed the facilities at the senior high schools, the government in an attempt not to live any qualified student behind disclosed its intention to introduce the semester/sandwich system which is already in use at Kenya and many other countries in order to create more space.

               what the system mean

The system means that two set of schools will be created in all category A and B schools.
Unlike the current single-track system which puts students and teachers in school and on vacation at the same time leaving the schools vacant during vacation,
the new double-track system will split the students and staff into two in such a way that as one group is in school the other group is on vacation.

For every semester, student will be in school for 40 days and then go on vacation for 40 days for the other group to take over.

This is not going to put any pressure on teachers because a new set of teachers will be recruited.

  BENEFITS/ADVANTAGES OF THE  SYSTEM

When i analyzed the system carefully without any political lenses, I noticed the following benefits

1. There is going to be a maximum use of senior high school facilities for the benefits of many.

2. More qualified Ghanaians will have access to senior high education.

3. Teacher-student ratio will improve enhancing effective teaching and leaning.

4. There will be no overcrowding in classrooms.

5. More employment will be created as more teachers are being recruited.

You can also express your opinion on the system at the comment box. Thank You.