1st Year SHS 'Green Trackers' to Stay Home Longer

First year Senior High Students (SHS) on the Green Track System would stay home for eight weeks instead of five when they leave their respective campuses for the second semester mid-semester break next week Friday.

The change of the mid-semester resumption date from June 15 to July 6, 2019, according to the Ghana Education Service (GES), is to "allow them to complete the semester together with Gold Track Students on September 6, 2019."

A letter from the GES dated May 2, 2019 and addressed to all regional directors of education said the decision was made in consultation with the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary School (CHASS).

Signed by the Acting Deputy Director General of GES, Dr Kwabena B. Tandoh, it said the change would also enable schools that wish to have their first year students write same end of semester exams the flexibility to do so.

However, the May 11, 2019 date scheduled for Gold track students to begin their second semester as well as the July 5, 2019 date for second year students to end their second semester, according to the letter, remained unchanged.

"Management wishes to thank all staff of senior high schools across the country for working diligently in the implementation of the free SHS and Double track school calendar," it said.

It is recalled that the green track students reported to school on September 11, 2018 for the first semester and vacated on November 7, 2019. They returned to school on March 1, 2019 for the second semester.

The double track system was introduced by the government last year to increase enrolment and contact hours and reduce class sizes under the free SHS programme.

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