President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to construct 16 new Senior High Schools (SHSs) as part of government’s efforts to expand educational infrastructure and gradually bring an end to Ghana’s double-track system.
The President disclosed that the construction programme is being financed through a newly approved US$300 million World Bank facility. The initiative is expected to create additional classroom and boarding capacity while reducing overcrowding in existing Senior High Schools.
President Mahama made the announcement while inspecting ongoing Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) projects at Han Senior High School.
According to the President, the construction of the 16 new schools will help ease pressure on Senior High Schools currently operating under the double-track system due to inadequate infrastructure and growing student enrolment.
“Under that project too, we’re building 16 brand-new secondary schools so that we can ease the congestion in the existing schools,” he said.
Government Plans More Boarding Schools in Rural Areas
President Mahama also announced plans to convert selected Senior High Schools in rural communities into boarding schools, particularly institutions serving large catchment areas.
He explained that the policy is intended to address the challenges faced by students who travel long distances every day to access secondary education.
The President noted that the community day school model is more appropriate for densely populated urban and peri-urban communities, where students can conveniently commute from their homes.
However, he said the situation is different in rural areas, where communities are often widely scattered and students may have to travel considerable distances to attend school.
“The intention now is to use the community day concept in the high-density population areas where the children can stay at home and easily go to school,” President Mahama explained.
He added that schools located in rural areas with large catchment populations would be considered for conversion into boarding institutions.
“And then for those that are in the rural areas with a big catchment area, we turn them into boarding schools so that the children can reside on campus.”
New SHS Infrastructure to Reduce Congestion
The government expects the expansion of Senior High School infrastructure to increase access to secondary education and improve learning conditions for students across Ghana.
The construction of the 16 new schools, combined with the conversion of selected rural schools into boarding facilities, is expected to provide additional capacity and reduce congestion in existing institutions.
The measures form part of broader efforts to address infrastructure challenges within Ghana’s education sector and support the gradual phasing out of the double-track system.
The government’s approach is also expected to improve school placement options, particularly for students in communities where access to quality secondary education remains challenging.
With additional funding from the World Bank and ongoing GETFund projects, authorities expect Ghana’s secondary education infrastructure to expand significantly in the coming years.
Source: newsthemegh.com