Saeed Adam Banda (PhD), a renowned Educationist and CEO of SuccessLink Publications Limited, has cited challenges with the double track system, including inadequate infrastructure, overcrowding , food shortages, pressure on teachers, insufficient logistics, and sidelining of quality private senior high schools.
As an expert in education, Mr. Saeed’s assessment and analysis, found that there has been a reduction in quality of education in the SHSs in the country due to the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy.
The double track system was implemented due to the high increase in enrollment of students in the free senior high school policy by the previous government.
According to Mr. Saeed, in an exclusive interview on Fabea FM's "Me Man Ho Dadwen" show with Apiah-Kubi, he said the system has caused a negative impact due to fewer contact hours, increased teacher workload, and a lack of proper stakeholder consultations before the implementation of the free SHS, and learning gaps for students during off-track periods.
He emphasized that before the double track can be eliminated, there should be expansion in infrastructure, and a robust I.T. infrastructure, and also include private SHSs in the Free SHS policy.
He added that there should be burden sharing in the education system for smoother running to abate the burden solely on the government.
“I opine that parents should pay a little for boarding and feeding for their wards to reduce overburden on the government", Mr. Saeed, said.
"The double track system has generated a negative impact on our students, I can tell you factually that the single track system we used to have before the implementation of the FSHS policy was far better", Mr. Saeed noted.
He urged policy makers to consider consultations and analyze situations about policies before implementing them.
He concluded that allowing partisan political interests to dictate educational policies has hindered the progress of the education sector, and therefore, education should be insulated from partisan politics.
Also, concerning examination malpractices, Mr. Saeed expressed concerns about the cancellation of BECE or WASSCE results in recent times, stating that the formality of writing exams has been in place for a decade and therefore needs to be reviewed.
He said the formality of writing exams resulted in exams malpractices causing disservice to students.
“Our trend analysis revealed that exam malpractices keep increasing, which the educational bodies need to sit up", Mr. Saeed emphasized.
"The fact that our BECE and WASSCE formats have remained unchanged for years is detrimental to our education system", he lamented.
He concluded and urged that there should be a reform to use digital forms of monitoring, and also installing cameras or using drones to monitor students when writing exams.
See Images Below;
