A nationwide IEA poll has found that 64.7% of Ghanaians believe the Double-Track System has negatively affected the quality of Senior High School education.

The finding comes as the government considers additional infrastructure investment to address capacity challenges in the country’s second-cycle education system and ultimately phase out the Double-Track arrangement.

According to the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA-Ghana), 54.3% of respondents also support the government’s plan to borrow funds to construct additional SHS infrastructure and eliminate the system.

Among respondents who said the Double-Track System had reduced the quality of education, 60.8% backed the proposed borrowing for new infrastructure, while 38.4% opposed it.

The findings were contained in a statement issued by the IEA on September 15, 2026, following a nationwide poll examining public perceptions of the Double-Track System and proposed measures to address its impact.

The Double-Track System was introduced in 2018, a year after the implementation of the Free SHS policy significantly increased enrolment and placed pressure on existing school infrastructure and resources.

Under the system, students are divided into two groups that attend school during alternating periods, allowing schools to accommodate larger numbers of students with available facilities.

While the arrangement helped address the immediate infrastructure pressures created by increased enrolment, concerns have continued over its implications for teaching, learning and the overall quality of SHS education.

The IEA said its poll sought to assess public views on the system, its perceived effect on educational quality and attitudes towards borrowing for additional infrastructure.

The findings point to sustained public concern about the long-term viability of the Double-Track System, while also indicating support among a majority of respondents for infrastructure expansion as a means of creating capacity for its eventual phase-out.