Deputy Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Edutwum has rejected claims that the introduction of the double track system will bring additional cost to the government through the recruitment of more teachers.
President Akufo-Addo last week announced government was going to employ 8,000 teachers to take care of the additional students to be admitted for the double track system this academic year under the free SHS this academic year.
“We are employing 8,000 more teachers this year to take care of this additional number of students,” Nana Akufo-Addo said when he cut sod for the construction of the 25.7-kilometre Nasia to Janga road, in the West Mamprusi District of the Northern Region Region.
Some have argued the recruitment of teachers would bring additional financial responsibility on the government.
Government in the 2018 mid-year budget review assured that provision has been made for the programme for the first term of 2018/19 academic year.
But speaking on Saturday’s edition of New Day on TV3, Dr. Adutwum claimed the government would not incur any additional cost as a result of the double track system mainly because of the recruitment of additional teachers.
“People talk about additional cost from teachers, no. We hire them with their regular calendar because if you bring in more students you have to bring in more teachers. We are hiring more teachers because of increased enrolment,” he explained.
He noted that Ghana is not the first country to introduce this system, and assured that the system would work despite the numerous criticisms that its implementation is being rushed
The Deputy Minister system would decongest and also increase enrollment in schools through an easy method.
“Form 3 students will be on their regular term since they have WASSCE ahead, form 2 [students] will begin the calendar and form1 will begin the semester calendar system,” he noted.
Under the double track system, he said students will spend 15 weeks in school and 15 weeks on vacation, adding this system is making sure that no qualified student is left behind.
By Portia Gafah|3news.com|Ghana