64.7% of Ghanaians say Double-Track system has reduced SHS quality – IEA

A new survey by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has found that 64.7% of Ghanaians believe the Double-Track System has undermined the quality of education at the Senior High School (SHS) level.

The poll, conducted in August 2026 among 1,062 respondents across Ghana’s 16 regions, also showed that 54.3% support government borrowing to build more schools and eventually scrap the system.

The findings point to strong public backing for increased investment in SHS infrastructure, although the IEA cautioned that the government must carefully assess the fiscal consequences of financing such projects through loans.

Among respondents who said the Double-Track System had negatively affected education quality, 60.8% supported borrowing to construct additional schools and bring the arrangement to an end.

Only 20.2% of those surveyed believed the system had improved the quality of secondary education, while 14.7% said it had made no difference. A further 0.2% declined to express an opinion.

The Double-Track System was introduced 8 years ago as a temporary response to inadequate SHS infrastructure and the need to accommodate more students under the government’s secondary education expansion programme.

Although the arrangement increased access to secondary education, the poll suggests that many Ghanaians are concerned that the gains in enrolment may have been accompanied by a decline in educational quality.

Majority backs borrowing to expand SHS infrastructure

The survey further revealed that 54.3% of respondents favoured the government’s proposal to secure loans for the construction of additional schools and the eventual abolition of the Double-Track System.

However, 38.4% opposed further borrowing, citing concerns about Ghana’s public debt situation, while 6.2% did not state a position.

The results reflect public demand for more SHS facilities to end the Double-Track System, alongside reservations about the financial risks associated with using borrowed funds to finance the expansion.