The World Bank has approved a $300 million financing package to support Ghana’s efforts to end the double-track system in Senior High Schools by 2027.
The funding will support the government’s Transformative Secondary Education for Access, Results, and Relevance for Jobs (STARR-J) project, which aims to improve access to secondary education, expand infrastructure and enhance the quality of learning across the country.
According to the Ministry of Education, the project will help address infrastructure challenges created by the implementation of the Free SHS policy and create the conditions needed for a full return to a single-track academic calendar.
Announcing the development, the Ministry described the approval as a major milestone in strengthening Ghana’s secondary education system and preparing students for future employment opportunities.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu said the project represents a significant investment in Ghana’s young population and the country’s long-term development.
“This project is a major investment in Ghana’s growing youthful population and a strategic contribution to the country’s long-term human capital development and global competitiveness,” he said.
He explained that the intervention would not only improve school infrastructure but also help align education with the skills demanded by today’s job market.
“It will help expand learning opportunities, improve school conditions, better align secondary education with the skills demanded by the labour market, and, more importantly, respond to the infrastructure deficit associated with expanded access to Free Secondary Education,” he added.
The Ministry said the project will focus on expanding facilities, improving learning conditions and increasing efficiency within the education system to ensure a smoother academic calendar in second-cycle institutions.
It also expressed gratitude to the World Bank, the Ministry of Finance and all stakeholders who played a role in securing the funding package.
If successfully implemented, the STARR-J project is expected to pave the way for the complete phase-out of the double-track system by 2027, bringing relief to students, parents and teachers across the country.
The latest investment is being seen as a major boost to Ghana’s education sector as government works to improve access, quality and outcomes for millions of students nationwide.
