The Commonwealth Representative for the Africa region, Mr. John Kojo Apea, has added his voice to the debate on the effectiveness of the proposed Double intake education system.
According to him, the system is the best policy to adopt given the peculiar circumstances the country finds itself.
His comments come at a time when the government is being heavily criticised for its decision to implement a new system which will accommodate the increasing number of students ready to be admitted into the Senior High School as a result of government’s implementation of the Free SHS policy.
Read: Double track-system intended to improve access to SHS education- Napo
The system divides the entire student body and staff into two different tracks. So while one track is in school, the other is on vacation.
Critics have raised issues about the seemingly poor communication and education that has attended the implementation of the new policy.
Advantages
But speaking to the press, Mr Apea an Oxford-educated Education expert argued that the newly proposed system is one that “increases the efficiency of the use of human and capital resources, increases access through increased number of school places, and reduces overcrowding where enrollment rates are highâ€.
 Costs
Lauding the benefits of the double intake, he added: “its adoption will contribute to a capital saving of close to 25%. This huge capital saving will offset any cost of maintenance and the reduced lifespan of school facilities by close to 60%â€.
Mr. Apea advised policy commentators to get to the nuts and bolts of the issue, by closely looking at the empirical evidence on which the intervention hinges.
Read: No amount of propaganda will stop implementation of double track Akufo-Addo
“As long as implementation is done well, this is a win-win for everyoneâ€.
He added, “There is a practical, urgent and ethical imperative for this type of educational reform in Ghana. It is an effective short to medium term intervention that is bespoke for the current Ghanaian contextâ€.
He further added, “it is viable for countries, like Ghana, seeking to expand their secondary education systems within fiscal and resource constraints.
Source: Myjoyonline.com