Assessing The Impact of Ghana’s Double-Track System on STEM Education Outcomes: A Systematic Desk Review of Empirical Evidence (2020–2024

This systematic desk review critically examines the impact of Ghana’s double-track system on STEM education outcomes between 2020 and 2024. Implemented under the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy, the double-track system was introduced to expand access amidst infrastructural constraints. However, the policy's implications for STEM education remain contentious. Drawing on 24 empirical studies, government reports, and grey literature, the review synthesizes evidence under four thematic objectives: academic performance, instructional quality, infrastructure and resources, and equity in STEM education. The findings reveal that reduced instructional time, overcrowded classrooms, and teacher fatigue have collectively diminished the quality of STEM teaching and learning. The review also identifies infrastructural inadequacies, such as shortages of laboratories, ICT tools, and scientific equipment, as key barriers to experiential STEM learning. Furthermore, the system has exacerbated pre-existing educational inequities, disproportionately affecting girls, rural learners, and students from low-income households. These groups faced limited access to tutoring and digital learning during off-track periods, deepening performance gaps. The cumulative effect of these challenges underscores a critical misalignment between the double-track policy and the pedagogical demands of STEM education. This review contributes to educational policy discourse by offering an integrated evidence base for assessing large-scale education reforms in resource-constrained settings. It also calls for policy recalibration focused on infrastructure investment, teacher support, and equity-sensitive interventions to ensure STEM education is both accessible and effective. The findings have implications for Ghana’s educational future and its ambitions under the Sustainable Development Goals and national development plans.