The World Bank has approved a $300 million financing package to support Ghana’s plan to eliminate the double-track system in Senior High Schools by 2027.
The funding will support the implementation of the Transformative Secondary Education for Access, Results and Relevance for Jobs (STARR-J) Project, a major initiative designed to expand access to secondary education, improve learning outcomes, and address infrastructure gaps created by the Free Senior High School policy.
The Ministry of Education, announcing the approval, said the project will fund school infrastructure development, improve teaching and learning conditions, and enhance the overall efficiency of the secondary education system.
A key objective of the STARR-J Project is to gradually phase out the double-track system through targeted investments that expand school capacity and improve educational delivery nationwide.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu described the initiative as a strategic investment in Ghana’s human capital and future workforce.
“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. 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 said.
The Ministry added that the project is expected to improve the quality and relevance of secondary education while ensuring students learn in more conducive environments.
It also expressed appreciation to the World Bank, the Ministry of Finance, and other partners for supporting reforms aimed at transforming the education sector.
The STARR-J Project forms part of government’s broader agenda to expand equitable access to quality education and equip young people with skills for a competitive global economy.
