GH¢1.37bn to end double track, as official end dates range from 2026 to 2029

The 2027 Budget allocates GH¢1.37 billion "to transform secondary education and eliminate double track". That is 24.5% more than the GH¢1.1 billion allocated in 2026 "to end the double-track system and to improve the quality of our secondary education" under the Ghana Secondary Learning Improvement Programme. The 2027 Budget describes its sum in similar terms but does not name that programme, and neither Budget says whether its figure includes World Bank loan money. Both are allocations, not money released or spent. We found no published figure for how much of the 2026 sum has been released.

Vice-President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang cited the 2027 money, as GH¢1.3 billion, at Mfantsipim School's 150th anniversary durbar in Cape Coast on Saturday 14 November, 3News and Graphic Online reported. She said several senior high schools had returned to single-track operation, according to 3News. The Budget's printed figure is GH¢1.37 billion, as 3News also noted.

How many schools

Double track began in the 2018/19 academic year, when 400 of the 696 senior high schools were listed to run it, Graphic reported at the time. That was 57.5%.

In February 2025, Dr Clement Apaak, then Deputy Education Minister-designate, told Parliament's Appointments Committee that some 413 SHSs were running double track, out of 709, Graphic reported. That is 58.3%, about the same share as at the start. In a budget debate in March 2025, Starr FM reported him giving 413 as "secondary and TVET institutions".

In September 2025 the Ghana Education Service said 99 schools had been taken off double track and returned to a single track, GNA reported via MyJoyOnline. On Saturday 7 November 2026, Dr Apaak gave the same number: "Ninety-nine schools have returned from the double-track system to the traditional single-track calendar," Today Ghana reported.

If both counts use the same base, about 314 schools would still be on double track. That is our arithmetic, not an official figure, and the 413 may include TVET schools. In Ashanti, GES said in July that about 59 schools were single-track and the rest ran a "transition system" that rotates whole year groups, Class FM reported.

Shifting targets

The 2026 Budget Statement, reviewing 2025, said ongoing projects would be completed "to facilitate a full transition to single-track by 2026". It also set out a two-year programme, for 2026 and 2027, to end double track.

On 20 July 2026, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu said: "By 2029, we should be done with double track," Graphic reported. On 12 September, President John Mahama said no school should still run double track by the end of 2027, GNA reported.

He cited a US$300 million World Bank facility. The 2027 Budget lists that loan, the STARR-J project, among loans signed in 2026.

The 2027 Budget's review of the Education Ministry's work, which we searched, does not mention double track or say how many schools remain on it.

What people on X are saying

@Citi973's post on the Vice-President's remarks had about 2,500 impressions. @JoyNewsOnTV had about 2,450 for its "GHS1.3bn" clip. We found few independent posts on the subject.

What it means

For parents, the question is when every school runs a full single calendar. The money has risen, but the only published count of schools moved that we found has not changed in 14 months.

Related: our check on GETFund's GH¢250 million for Category A schools, https://www.statsgh.com/education/ghana-iddrisu-getfund-ghs250m-category-a-pledge-2-2-percent-2027-levy.

We did not ask the Education Ministry or GES for comment, and found no newer count.

Limitations

School counts come from ministers and GES as reported by outlets, not a published list. The 2018, 2025 and 2026 counts may not use the same definitions. Budget figures are allocations.

The 2026 sum is named under the Ghana Secondary Learning Improvement Programme; the 2027 sum is described in similar words without naming it, so the two may not cover exactly the same spending. The 2027 allocation is printed to two decimal places; the Vice-President's GH¢1.3 billion is that figure rounded down.

Sources: Ministry of Finance, 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy (12 Nov 2026), para 1560; paras 1347–1354 (Ministry of Education review, searched); Appendix 10B: Loans Signed in 2026 (STARR-J, US$300,000,000). Ministry of Finance, 2027 Budget Speech (12 Nov 2026), para 597. Ministry of Finance, 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy (Nov 2025), paras 560, 1035–1041, 1147; 2026 Budget Speech para 465. Ministry of Finance, 2026 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review Speech, paras 367–372 (US$300m World Bank financing). 3News, "Veep Opoku-Agyemang calls for quality-driven secondary education as Mfantsipim Marks 150 years", 14 Nov 2026. 3News, "Haruna Iddrisu promises 10 model SHSs and GH¢250m for top schools as Mfantsipim turns 150", 14 Nov 2026. Graphic Online, "Government pledges 66-seater bus, GH¢250m GETFund support as Mfantsipim marks 150 years", 14 Nov 2026. Graphic Online, "List of 400 out of 696 schools to operate double track", 13 Aug 2018. Graphic Online, "We'll fix SHS challenges — Dr Apaak", 26 Feb 2025. Starr FM, "Ending Double-Track System: Private Schools to accommodate 150k students – Dr. Apaak", 27 Mar 2025. MyJoyOnline (source GNA), "99 senior high schools taken off double-track system", 2 Sep 2025. Today Ghana, "Free SHS: 99 schools return to single track as gov't plans full transition - Dr. Apaak", 8 Nov 2026. Class FM, "A/R: 59 SHSs transition to single-track system as GES phasedly retires double-track model", 14 Jul 2026. Graphic Online, "Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu sets new target to end SHS double-track system in 2029", 20 Jul 2026. GNA, "President Mahama reiterates Government's commitment to end Double-Track SHS system", 12 Sep 2026. StatsGH, "Iddrisu's GH¢250m Category A schools pledge is 2.2% of GETFund's planned 2027 levy", 14 Nov 2026.

X posts: @Citi973; @Channel1TVGHA; @OnuaTV; @JoyNewsOnTV.