In what looks like a major boost for Ghana’s educational reform agenda, the Ministry of Education has announced that the World Bank has approved a US$300 million financing package to support the implementation of the Transformative Secondary Education for Access, Results and Relevance for Jobs (STARR-J) Project.
Unveiled in a statement on June 16, 2026, the ministry revealed that the STARR-J Project aims to strengthen the country’s secondary education system by widening access, enhancing quality and relevance, and tackling infrastructure challenges that have emerged with the expansion of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
A key focus of the new project is the government’s pledge to end the double-track system in senior high schools nationwide, a system introduced to accommodate increased enrolment under the Free SHS programme. Through targeted investments in school infrastructure, improved learning environments, and greater operational efficiency, the government expects that by 2027, no secondary school in Ghana will operate under the double-track arrangement.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu described the World Bank’s approval as a transformative investment in Ghana’s youth and future workforce. “This initiative will expand learning opportunities, improve school conditions, better align secondary education with the needs of the labour market, and address the infrastructure deficit linked to Free SHS,” he said.
The Ministry of Education extended its gratitude to World Bank Country Director Robert Taliercio O’Brien, the World Bank education team, and the Ministry of Finance, led by Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, for their instrumental support in securing the funding.
According to the ministry, the STARR-J Project underscores the government’s ongoing commitment to providing equitable access to quality secondary education, and to preparing students with the knowledge and skills they need for a rapidly changing world.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com