Double track system in ‘Free SHS’ program is my idea – Adutwum

Minister in charge of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum says he suggested the double track system introduced in the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy to contain enrolment in Senior High Schools to President Akufo-Addo.

The Member of Parliament for the Bosomtwe Constituency disclosed this when asked whose idea is the gold and green track (double track) system in an interview with the Kumasi-based Pure 95.7 FM monitored by AcademicWeek.com

Dr Adutwum in the discussion indicated his suggestion of the green and gold track system was based on his 10 years experience of with the system when he was a teacher in the USA prior to his appointment as Minister for Education.

According to him, the controversial double track system first started in the United States, California in 1994, a system he said the country has used for more than 10 years in some of their schools to increase student enrollment.

“It was not easy to explain the double-track system to the President and the Education Ministry because it was foreign and was going to affect so many people, including owners of private Senior High Schools”, told the host Pure FM.

The green and gold system Adutwum told the host of Pure Morning Drive was approved by His Excellency Akufo-Addo in other for all successful BECE candidates to continue their education at the secondary level for free due to Free SHS.

In a different interview, the Education Minister said his goal was to run for US Congress in Southern California but cut the dream after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo asked for his help to change Ghana’s education system.

Speaking on Citi TV’s Face to Face show, the Bosomtwe Member of Parliament said he accepted Nana Akufo-Addo’s request to return to Ghana to make an impact on the lives of millions of prospective students in the country.

“What excites me is when we are able to make an impact on the lives of children, I felt that coming back to Ghana I will be able to impact the lives of millions of students. In America, I was making an impact on the lives of thousands of people which was still very much appreciated and recognized in South Los Angeles,” he told Accra-based Citi TV.

He continued that “so when Nana Akufo-Addo visited one of my schools and asked me if would you consider coming back to help me change Ghana’s education system I said yes I would consider and I truly considered.”

According to the teaching Minister, he had the belief that he could easily run for the United States Congress and win because he was a household name and well known as Dr Osei Yaw by the US citizens in Southern California.

“I wanted to make history but abandoned that goal after Nana Akufo-Addo requested that if I would consider coming back to Ghana to help him change the education system in Ghana,” the Bosomtwe lawmaker stated.

The Honourable Minister furthered that he came to the country on the advice of his mentor who told him the United States of America (USA) can do without him but maybe the Republic of Ghana can not do without him.