Majority of Ghanaians Say Double-Track System Has Hurt SHS Education Quality – IEA Poll
A new nationwide poll by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has found that 64.7 percent of Ghanaians believe the double-track system has negatively affected the quality of Senior High School education.
The poll, conducted in August 2026, also showed that 54.3 percent of respondents support the government’s intention to borrow funds to construct additional SHS infrastructure and eventually phase out the double-track system.
The IEA surveyed 1,062 respondents across all 16 regions to assess public perceptions of the impact of the double-track system and attitudes towards additional borrowing to expand school infrastructure.
The double-track system was introduced in 2018, a year after the implementation of the Free SHS policy, as a temporary measure to accommodate the sharp increase in enrolment amid inadequate school infrastructure. Under the arrangement, students are divided into two groups that take turns attending school, allowing more students to access existing facilities.
However, the IEA poll suggests that a significant majority of Ghanaians believe the system has come at a cost to the quality of education. While 64.7 percent said the system had declined the quality of SHS education, 20.2 percent believed it had improved education quality. Another 14.7 percent said the system had no effect, while 0.2 percent expressed no opinion.
Despite concerns over Ghana’s public debt, the poll found that a majority of respondents support government borrowing to construct more schools and end the double-track system. According to the findings, 54.3 percent said the government should borrow to build additional schools, while 38.4 percent opposed the proposal. Another 6.2 percent expressed no opinion.
The IEA said the support for additional borrowing may partly reflect continued pressure on existing SHS infrastructure due to high enrolment levels under the Free SHS programme. It noted that many Ghanaians appear to view the expansion of school infrastructure as necessary to address capacity constraints and improve the quality of secondary education.
Among respondents who believe the double-track system has reduced education quality, 60.8 percent support government borrowing to construct additional SHS infrastructure. However, 38.4 percent of respondents in this group oppose additional borrowing, citing concerns about the country’s already high public debt burden.
The IEA said those opposed to borrowing would prefer the government to explore alternative financing mechanisms to fund the construction of additional school infrastructure.
The Institute said the findings point to a public preference for expanding SHS infrastructure and phasing out the double-track system, while also highlighting concerns about the fiscal implications of financing such expansion through borrowing. It urged the government to carefully consider the impact of additional borrowing on public finances as it seeks to address infrastructure gaps in the education sector.
