World Bank approves $300 million for Ghana's education to phase out double-track system
via GhanaWeb2 min read
The World Bank has approved a US$300 million financing package to support Ghana's efforts to eliminate the double-track system in senior high schools and improve access to quality secondary education. The Ministry of Education announced the funding will implement the Transformative Secondary Education for Access, Results and Relevance for Jobs STARR-J Project. This initiative aims to address infrastructure deficits, strengthen the secondary education sector, expand access, improve learning conditions, enhance educational quality, and increase the efficiency of the education system. A key objective is to end the double-track system, introduced to accommodate increased enrollment after the Free Senior High School policy. The Ministry expects that by 2027, no secondary school in Ghana will operate under this system. Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, described the project as a strategic investment in Ghana's future, contributing to human capital development and global competitiveness. The Ministry thanked the World Bank, its Country Director Robert Taliercio O鈥橞rien, and Ghana's Ministry of Finance, led by Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, for their support. The STARR-J Project reinforces the government's commitment to equitable access to quality education and preparing students for the global economy.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
The Environmental Protection Agency EPA in Tarkwa has called on traditional leaders to utilize their cultural and spiritual authority to combat illegal mining, known as galamsey, in Ghana. Mr. Derick Ashia Logo, the Regional Director of the EPA in Tarkwa, stated that illegal miners are increasingly fortified and pose security risks to enforcement officers. He suggested that chiefs, as custodians of the land, could invoke cultural beliefs, taboos, and customary sanctions to deter illegal mining activities, thereby complementing government efforts. Mr. Logo also advocated for government financial support for community-based environmental protection initiatives and stricter accountability for traditional leaders who fail to protect natural resources under their jurisdiction. The EPA emphasizes that illegal mining remains a significant environmental challenge, causing destruction to rivers, forests, and farmlands, and creating security concerns for anti-galamsey operations.
Must ReadKwabena Amaning, known as Tagor, and Alhaji Issah Abass, who were sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2007 for drug-related offenses, have been acquitted and discharged by the Court of Appeal. The two businessmen were at the center of a controversial case involving the disappearance of 76 parcels of cocaine from the MV Benjamin vessel. The Court of Appeal's three-member panel, chaired by Mr Justice Peasare, ordered their immediate release after they had spent a year and seven months in prison. The court found that the charges against them were defective and the prosecution failed to establish the offenses. It noted that the prosecution could not specify the location or date of the alleged crimes, creating gaps in the evidence. The Court of Appeal also criticized the trial judge for overruling a submission of no case and questioned why the prosecution did not call Assistant Commissioner of Police Kofi Boakye as a witness. Furthermore, the court stated that the whereabouts of the 76 parcels of cocaine remained a mystery, and a recorded conversation between Tagor, Abass, and Kofi Boakye was a private attempt by Boakye to clear his name, not a confession. The court dismissed the prosecution's claims regarding conspiracy and the alleged sale of cocaine, stating that such transactions were not proven and that local jargon for drugs could not be legally supported.
The Ghana School of Law has announced a proposed annual fee of GHS 14,943 for its new Pre-Bar Course, applicable to students across participating law faculties. This proposal, detailed in a letter dated June 17, 2026, and signed by Professor Raymond A. Atuguba, Director of Legal Education, follows consultations with the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, the Acting Chief Justice and Acting Chairperson of the General Legal Council, and other stakeholders. The fee was calculated on a prorated basis, as the Pre-Bar course is expected to cover an average of four subjects, compared to the GHS 22,415 approved for the six-subject Part I of the professional training program. The institution stated that the GHS 14,943 charge aims to provide a harmonized benchmark for all institutions offering the program, ensuring fairness, consistency, and affordability without compromising the quality of legal education. Universities or faculties facing unique circumstances may apply to the Council for Legal Education and Training CLET for special dispensation, with such requests requiring adequate justification and assessed on a case-by-case basis to accommodate institutional and student-specific concerns while implementing legal education reforms.